


Be Who You Are (No Compromise)

by stormy_blue_skies



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Angst and Fluff, Enough pining to plant a forest, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, No beta we die like Sunset Curve, Ray is a good dad, Slow Burn, They're all dorks, also everyone had ad(h)d bc apparently i'm incapable of writing neurotypical characters, but this time they're fancy dorks, enough symbolism to choke my 7th grade english teacher, i did extensive research for this and by that i mean i googled a couple things and then ignored them, i'm letting julie be the bitchy bisexual she deserves to BE, marie kondo said 'if it doesn't spark joy then throw it out.' that is what i am doing with canon, nobody is straight trust me I'm a scientist, she's a teenage girl LET HER BE BITCHY, they all share a brain cell but none of them fucking use it, why a slow burn? bc the love is requited. they're just stupid
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 73,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28848498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormy_blue_skies/pseuds/stormy_blue_skies
Summary: Princess Julie Molina of the kingdom of Dahlia is set in an arranged marriage with Prince Alexander Mercer of Tambor. Alex and Julie have been friends for a while, but neither of them wants to marry thge other - especially given that Alex is gay.At the Dahlia palace, Alex meets Willie, one of the palace chefs, and is immediately smitten. Similarly, Julie soon falls in love with Luke Patterson, Alex's guard and Royal Best Dude. Reggie, Julie's honorary older brother, isn't as oblivious as people think, and schemes to give them all the happily ever after they deserve.Treasonous shenanigans ensue.
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters, Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Flynn & Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Nick & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters & Willie & Carrie Wilson, Flynn/Carrie Wilson, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Minor or Background Relationship(s), the characters / being idiots
Comments: 181
Kudos: 185





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everybody!!! I've been screaming about this AU for a couple days (mainly on the Pancake Squad server), and decided to write it! Here's chapter one. 
> 
> Each chapter will have five sections, one for each character's POV (Alex, Julie, Luke, Reggie, and Willie). 
> 
> Also, a shit ton of research and hyperfixating went into this, so I really hope everything is accurate and that you all enjoy it!

\-----

## Alex POV

...

Of course. 

Of fucking course.

He’d known it was coming, yeah, but that didn’t change the fact that, despite his friendship with Princess Julie, Alex had no desire to marry her. And now, after begging not to be married off, he was still stuck in this deal.

It had nothing to do with Julie herself, of course; Julie was a kind, loving, musical girl around his age. The issue was that he was gay. Marrying a girl was not something he was interested in. 

Julie knew Alex was gay; he’d come out to her after he was sure she would accept him, which he knew she would after she mentioned her best friend being a lesbian, and her being bisexual herself. Needless to say, neither of them had been thrilled by the announcement a couple years back that they would be getting married, for more reasons than the fact that nobody wants to be in an arranged marriage. 

And now, in three months time, he would be at the alter with a girl he wasn’t in love with. 

Alex knew it wouldn’t be that bad; in fact, he and Julie were quite close friends. Their kingdoms, Tambor and Dahlia respectively, were close allies. But for some godforsaken reason, their leaders had felt the need to strengthen their allyship by setting up their heirs in an arranged marriage. Had Alex been the oldest, this wouldn’t have been the case. However, it wouldn’t be him, but his older sister, Ava, taking the throne of Tambor. 

He, along with his guards, would be travelling to Dahlia this evening. He hated that it was so soon. Not that he wasn’t excited to see Julie, he was, but it was the reason that put a knot in his stomach.

Alex allowed himself one more panic attack before getting ready. 

As a treat.

The warm sun streaming into his room felt out of place with the dread settling in his stomach, and his breath choked, his heart racing, salty tears streaming down his face. He clenched his hands into fists and back out, trying to calm himself despite the emotional release. His nails dug into his palm, not hard enough to cut, but enough to leave little indents that he then ran his fingertips across. 

Trying to pull himself together, he stood - albeit shakily - and walked across the soft, carpeted floor to his full-length mirror, pleasantly surprised as he noted that he wasn’t as big of a mess as he’d expected, given his previous panic. 

A knock on his door alerted him that his head butler was there to help him get ready for the jet ride.

“Your highness, are you alright?”

Alex didn’t answer, grateful for Luke’s steady voice outside his door.

“He’s a little panicky at the moment. Maybe give him a few minutes to settle?” he suggested, and Alex hoped Luke was receiving the strong _thank you_ vibes he was trying to transmit telepathically. 

Any time Alex had a panic attack, he was semi-verbal. He could speak if he really, really tried, but it generally took a great deal of effort. He and Luke had a system, though; if Alex needed support during a panic attack, he would fake-sneeze three times, and Luke would come in from his station outside Alex’s door. 

Alex allowed himself another minute to calm his breathing and wipe the tears from his face, practicing the grounding exercise Julie had taught him. 

_Inhale- 1, 2, 3, 4_

_Hold- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7_

_Exhale- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8_

It helped a lot, and soon he was able to straighten his hair and begin changing into the suit his tailors had made just for this occasion. 

Another knock echoed from his door, and Alex took one final deep breath to compose himself. 

“Come in,” he said, proud of how steady his voice was. 

The butler entered; a kind man named Erik, who Alex had gotten to know over the past month or so. His olive skin shone in the afternoon light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. 

Alex dressed himself, for the most part; having butlers help him dress was never something he particularly enjoyed. He allowed Erik to smooth his white dress shirt, though; no matter how many times Alex had practiced tucking in his shirts, they always ended up wrinkled. 

He slid the navy suit vest over the shirt once it was nice and smooth, fastening the thick buttons over his stomach. Minimalistic gold embroidery on the vest sparkled in the light, and Alex couldn’t help but smile at the bit of flair. He’d been half-hoping that his matching navy pants would have a bit of sparkle as well, but to no avail. Probably for the best, he decided. Just a little touch was enough. 

He fixed the cuff of his sleeve, taking a breath as Erik reached up with a comb to fix his hair. It was simple but refined, how it always was. 

“Erik, you’ve outdone yourself with this one, bro!” Alex said excitedly. He might not be very pleased about being in an arranged marriage, but he could appreciate a good suit. “I love the details.”

“I’m glad you like it!” Erik beamed with the praise. “May I?” he asked, reaching for Alex’s shoulders. Alex nodded, and Erik smoothed the vest’s warm fabric, readjusting the hem until it was aligned perfectly. 

He might not have been the type of guy to _always_ wear suits, unless necessary, but Alex had to admit it. He looked good. The slim fit outlined his muscles, and the deep blue of the vest and pants brought out the bluish tints in his blue-green-grey eyes. (nobody could seem to decide what color they actually were). The small touches of golden embroidery shone and somehow managed to accentuate the sun-born highlights in his hair. 

“You look wonderful, your highness.”

“Thanks, Erik. And you can call me Alex, we’re chill.” Alex had been insisting to Erik that he could be casual around him for months, but Erik still generally referred to him as “your highness.”

“Alex,” he corrected with a broad smile. “Well, _Alex,_ you have a photoshoot for the press in ten minutes, so if there’s anything else I can do to get you ready, don’t hesitate to ask. Though I must say, you look awesome.” Alex let out a small laugh. 

“Thanks, dude. Oh, wait, before you go, could you tell me something?”

“Of course,” Erik replied. Alex put on his Serious Face.

“Do these pants make my butt look big?” Erik bust out laughing, and Alex couldn’t help but do the same. 

...

Three hours later, Alex was _finally_ done with an exhaustive photoshoot. He hated having his picture taken; add that to the list of anxieties. He had to make sure he looked perfect, or everything could go wrong; that was what his parents had drilled into him from the moment he had his first real photoshoot. 

Of course, he still had to endure an interview with the Tambor Times Magazine, which he was dreading. Speaking to an overeager journalist with no respect for privacy was never something he looked forward to. 

“What are your thoughts on the marriage that has been arranged between you and Her Royal Highness, Princess Julie of Dahlia?” Alex cleared his throat.

“It’s definitely a unique situation,” he started. “I mean, not every nineteen-year-old is part of an arranged marriage.” He did his best to keep his voice light, and it must’ve worked, because the journalist gave a laugh and moved on. 

“If I may, what is your current relationship with her?”

“The princess and I share a close bond,” was the only answer he gave. “If you’ll excuse me, I must be going,” he added. “I have a flight to catch.” He grinned - He didn’t have to _catch_ any flight. He would be on the royal family private jet. But the journalist smiled and shook his hand, instructing him to have a wonderful evening, and he did the same. 

The bit about catching a flight wasn’t entirely false, though; soon, he had wished his parents a good evening and boarded the jet with his suitcases, hoping to leave his anxiety in Tambor.

\-----

## Julie POV

...

So.

Here’s the thing. 

Julie liked Alex, she really did. He was one of her closest friends (princesses don’t get out much). But he was gay, And Julie was decidedly Not A Guy. Plus, they both knew their connection was strongest platonically, anyway. 

Of course, none of that matters in diplomacy. 

Julie had tried many, many times to get out of the arranged marriage. But she’d just turned eighteen, and Alex nineteen, and apparently their kingdoms had no such qualms about marrying off teenagers. 

At least her dad, King Ray, had tried to get her out of it. But even as king, there was only so much he could do; everybody except for him thought it was a grand idea, because Of Course They Did. And once the public had heard the news, when she was sixteen, Julie couldn’t look out her window without seeing photographers outside the palace gates for a week. 

She supposed there was nothing she could do about it now, though, no matter how much she wanted to, for her sake and Alex’s. 

At least he was someone she got along with well. She knew they would never be in love, for multiple reasons, but she wouldn’t be unhappy. Alex might, though. They’d stayed up late on many a night, him rambling about cute guys he’d seen amongst the palace staff or on his occasional trip to the city, her chatting about songs she’d been writing and the one guy she’d had a crush on, Nick. 

Nick was the son of a nobleman her dad was very close with, and they were good friends, but she’d never acted on her little crush. Her feelings for Nick hadn’t really gone anywhere, it was just a lingering crush she’d had for a few years, but one that had faded with time.

Julie sighed, smoothing out her dress. It was simple but elegant, with a little bit of Julie flair. The silky violet fabric was cut in a slim fit to her waist, before gently flaring outwards towards her ankles. Off-the-shoulder straps revealed the dark skin of her shoulders, and the pearly embroidery of dahlia flowers around her waist shone in the light, tapering off as she twirled, though as she practiced her camera smile, it didn’t reach her eyes. 

Alex was her friend, but neither of them wanted to get married. But she’d tried her hardest to get them out of it, to no avail. 

So, as she sat down at her vanity, Julie closed her eyes and reminded herself the words her mother used to tell her every time she was scared. 

_It’ll all be okay, Jules. You’re strong, and you’re a diamond in the rough._

The words settled her stomach a little bit. 

Her lady-in-waiting, Mira, knocked on her door. 

“Come in,” Julie said. Mira bustled in, her flaming red hair pulled into a messy bun, her brown eyes sparkling. 

“Oh, Jules, you look _lovely.”_ Julie smiled.

“Thanks, Mira. How’s my hair?” Julie reached up to smooth her curls, which had been combed back and woven into a thick, braided knot at the base of her neck. 

“Almost perfect, but it needs a little something,” Mira decided with a smirk. Julie had no idea what Mira had in mind, but she knew she would love it. 

Before either of them could say another word, Flynn walked into Julie’s room, followed by her girlfriend, Carrie. 

“Hey, underachiever,” Flynn greeted with a smile.

“Hey, disappointment!”

“Dude,” Flynn said, a serious look on her face. “That dress is the _shit!”_ Carrie nodded enthusiastically. 

“A definite look.”

“Thanks guys,” Julie said with a grin. “I love it, too! Mira’s got some sort of magic in her hands, because this is one of my favorites for sure.” Mira blushed. 

“Well, I’m not quite done,” she admitted. “Jules, your color scheme is pink, purple, and blue, usually, right?”

“Yeah, usually! I can always get behind some other colors, though.”

“Of course. But I think for this dress, the pink-purple-blue scheme would fit the best.”

“Definitely,” Carrie jumped in. “The purple mediates the pink and blue, so those are like side accents.” 

“I like this one,” Mira decided, pointing at Carrie. Carrie flipped her hair and smiled. “But yes. So, I was thinking for your hair, we could weave in some thin ribbons in those colors? It would be super simple, wouldn’t even have to take it out and restyle it.”

“Work your magic,” Julie instructed. Mira grinned excitedly and set to work, sitting Julie down at the vanity.

“Okay, Jules,” Flynn sighed. “I know you don’t want me to ask this, but are you doing okay?” Carrie took Flynn’s arm and nodded. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. Either of you.”

“I’ll be fine,” Julie decided. She didn’t want to marry Alex, and she knew he felt the same way. “At least it’s not somebody I hate, though. Alex and I get along really well.”

“I know,” Carrie added. “But that doesn’t mean you have to be okay.” A single tear rolled down Julie’s cheek, and she was grateful she hadn’t done her makeup yet.

“Thanks. To be honest, I’m not really okay, but I’ll live. And besides, it’s not for another three months. And having another friend around for a few months will be nice. Before, you know, I have to marry him.” Flynn let out a sad laugh. 

“If I may add my input,” Mira began, “I’ve always hated the prospect of arranged marriages. At the very least, both people should have to agree with it.” Julie nodded, quickly stopping when she felt the ribbons Mira was weaving into her hair tug. “Sorry,” she added. “I’ll be done in just a moment.”

“I agree,” Carrie said. “It’s stupid. Dahlia and Tambor are already allies, so why are they even doing this?”

“I’m not sure, to be honest. My dad says it’s to ‘strengthen agreeability between our separate civilians.’ But at least tried to get me out of it,” she added. “King Xavier and Queen Claire both thought it was a great idea.” Julie had always held some bitterness towards Alex’s parents, given their closed-mindedness and apathy towards minorities and less fortunate people. Alex had always felt the same, and avoided coming out to them for those reasons. 

“Well, I personally think it’s homophobic that my best friend is being forced to be part of an arranged marriage,” Flynn decided, “because I’m gay and it annoys me. Plus, you know, she doesn’t want to be part of it.” Julie couldn’t help but laugh at that, as did Mira. 

“All done with the ribbons,” she said, handing Julie a mirror to see the back of her head. 

“Oh, Mira, I love it!” The ribbons were braided through her thick hair, swooping around the knot, twisting through her own curls and holding the hairstyle together perfectly. Both pretty and practical. 

“I’m glad!” Mira looked very proud of herself, for a good reason. Julie’s lady-in-waiting was definitely a woman to be admired (and feared - she’d taken down a full-grown man in a self defense class, while wearing _heels)._ Julie could walk in heels, even run in them, but she’d tried fighting in them, and failed miserably. She might’ve been competent fighting in regular shoes, but heels were a different story. Mira, though, could do it all. 

Mira’s phone dinged. 

“Oh, Jules, it’s time for the pre-meetup photoshoot!”

“Got it. Thanks, Mira, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Forget about your photoshoots, probably.”

…

The photoshoot involved lots of candid shots of her in the garden, doing her best to look serene, and not show the anxiety bubbling in her stomach. But somehow, she actually managed to get through it without losing it. 

“Wonderful, miss. Turn towards me, look to your left- yes, perfect.” The photographer’s voice faded as she obeyed his instructions, a human robot running correctly but with wandering thoughts. 

“You look so natural, miss!” he complimented. Julie offered a smile, returning to her thoughts. There _had_ to be a way to get her and Alex out of this. But she couldn’t think of any that wasn’t treasonous, illegal, or flat-out stupid. Of course, as a teenage girl, she felt she deserved to be a little stupid sometimes, but apparently that was “unbecoming of a princess” and “a bad influence.” 

Personally, she just thought that was biphobic.

\-----

## Luke POV

...

Luke hadn’t ever traveled much, let alone to a neighboring _kingdom,_ so needless to say, he was pumped to get to visit Dahlia for three months at least. His hope was that, even though no one involved wanted the marriage to happen, they could find a bright side in him getting to stay with his best friend. 

Of course, that didn’t change the fact that he felt bad for his charge and best friend, Alex. He knew Alex was gay; in fact, they’d “dated” for a few weeks when they were fourteen. But even after deciding they were better as friends, they were close, maybe even closer afterwards. Luke told Alex everything; he didn’t know if he had a secret that Alex _didn’t_ know. 

Everyone in the palace was used to seeing him and Alex wandering the grounds, goofing off, messing around in the music studio, what have you. Technically, Luke was a junior guardsman, and given his bond with the prince, had been assigned (along with an actual guard) to be his security detail. That had evolved into an even stronger friendship, though. Years passed, and soon they were inseparable. 

Luke had done his best to cheer up Alex; seeing his best friend that upset was heartbreaking. But there was nothing he could actually do to help, so he settled for laying next to Alex on the floor and staring at the high ceilings.

An hour passed, and soon the afternoon sun was streaming into Alex’s room. Luke saw Alex drag a hand down his face. 

“I guess you should start getting ready, then?” he asked.

“Probably.” Luke patted his shoulder. “Do you think it would be too drastic to fake my death?” Luke laughed, knowing Alex was joking, though it wouldn’t have actually surprised him. Alex and Julie were friends, but neither of them wanted to get married. Especially not the gay guy, very publicly, to a girl. 

Luke stood up, giving Alex a mock salute, and walked out the door, closing it behind him. 

He stood there for a few minutes, straightening his back as a senior guardsman passed him. He ducked his head in a nod, relaxing a moment later. As much as he might’ve come off as a chill guy, he was worried for Alex; even more so when he heard Alex’s breathing quicken from the other side of the wall, his footsteps pacing back and forth. 

The panic attack shouldn’t have surprised him. Alex had clinical anxiety, and this was probably one of the most stress-inducing times of his life. Being forced into an arranged marriage - even if you’re friends with the other person - is no fun for anybody. And today he would be going to the Dahlia palace to stay for three months before the ceremony.

Luke fiddled with the hem of his jacket; it was charcoal black, and thick and protective, with eight buttons on the wide front, crossing his chest. He’d gotten used to it, but despite that, he still started sweating in the warm weather of Tambor. The red sash crossing over the jacket had golden embroidery on the edges, and he quite enjoyed running his fingers over the textured thread. 

Luke could still hear Alex panicking, but there were no sets of three fake sneezes in between the rapid breaths, so he stayed. Alex was able to recognize when he needed support, and when he needed to be left alone. 

Luke spotted Erik nearing him. He couldn’t stop him, but Erik was aware of Alex’s anxiety, so Luke wasn’t concerned. He smiled at Erik, giving him a look, warning him that Alex was having a panic attack. Erik nodded, knocking gently on the door. 

“Your highness, are you alright?” When Alex didn’t respond, Luke jumped in. 

“He’s a little panicky at the moment. Maybe give him a few minutes to settle?” Erik nodded, and Luke gave a relieved smile. 

“You look nervous as well,” Erik noted. 

“Well, I am, a little bit,” Luke admitted. “I’ve never been to Dahlia, but I’m going with Alex since I’m his head guard and Royal Best Dude™.” Erik grinned. “I’m excited, though! I bet it’ll be a lot of fun.”

“I’m so jealous,” Erik told him. “I’ve never been outside of Tambor.”

“I’m worried for Alex, though. He’s really nervous.”

“Yeah,” Erik agreed, a flicker of understanding rushing across his face that made Luke smile despite himself. If he was being honest, Luke had a tiny crush on Erik, but nothing substantial. “I mean, it’s gotta suck being closeted to everyone but a few people, and having to marry a girl.” Luke nodded. 

“I wish there was something we could do about it.”

…

Luke stood guard off-camera while Alex had his pre-meetup photoshoot and interview. It was what he always did, though this time it felt different, like he was a silent supporter during a tough time, now more than ever. 

If nothing else, he could reassure Alex that he looked fabulous in his suit - it wasn’t a lie, either. The navy blue fabric complimented his eyes perfectly, and the golden details were a stunning addition. Tie that with his sharp jaw and awkward, endearing personality? Anybody would simp for him. He had a feeling that many people did, too; Some of Alex’s best photos from these shoots would be printed in the Tambor Times Magazine, and he would also post some - as well as his own selfies - on his instagram. Luke had seen the comments, and always smirked at Alex given the amount of heart-eyed emojis and key smashes there were. 

Luke stood behind the cameraman for the candid shots where they needed Alex to be smiling or laughing. No matter how much he practiced, Alex could never get a good candid smile, so Luke took it upon himself to stand behind the photographer making faces, or occasionally imitating their every move with mock seriousness. 

When Alex’s musical laugh rang through the air, Luke patted himself on the back. 

Worked every time. 

He worked his magic for a few more shots afterwards, doing his best to make Alex laugh. It wasn’t just for the photos, though, it was to help him settle down. Luke knew this was a horrible situation, but there was nothing he could do to stop it, so he’d have to try to make it more bearable. 

After Alex’s interview, Luke could tell that the reality of the situation was hitting him even more, as a flicker of fear shadowed his face, his hands clenched into fists. Luke walked towards him slowly, making sure Alex was okay with it, and when he didn’t retract, he put his hand on his shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze.

“It’ll be okay,” he promised. And as Alex seemed to relax, nodding and pulling Luke into a hug, that was when he knew.

Alex was his best friend, and didn’t deserve any of this pain or fear. He deserved for things to be okay.

Luke would keep that promise, no matter what.

\-----

## Reggie POV

...

Reggie knew he was Princess Julie’s honorary older brother; it had been that way for years, after he ran away from his own pathetic excuse for a home. He was lucky King Ray was a kind man; he could’ve just as easily left him there where he’d found him, a nine-year-old in the street of the raining Dahlia capital city. But he’d taken Reggie in, and soon, Reggie was part of the royal family, even if not by blood. 

Now, given that he was Julie’s honorary older brother, he hated that she was being put into an arranged marriage. She was eighteen, for God’s sake! Reggie was nineteen, and knew for a fact he wouldn’t have been able to handle it nearly as gracefully as she did. Then again, while she was young, playful, and vibrant, Julie was also the epitome of grace and poise; she’d grown up in a palace, after all. 

Needless to say, though, Reggie was sure he wouldn’t be able to not be protective of Julie when Prince Alexander came. He’d met him before, but only briefly; in passing after dinner during visits, mostly. It did help Reggie’s nerves to remember that Alexander was a very sweet, reserved person from his own interactions with the man. But that was his little sister, and while she wasn’t completely devastated, Reggie knew she didn’t want it to happen. 

He dragged a hand down his face, flopping down on his bed. He wanted so badly to help Julie out of this, but he couldn’t. 

Hey, at least he could cheer her up with his jokes! She always said they were awful, but Reggie knew better. Only the finest of jokes could make Her Royal Highness, Princess Julie Molina of Dahlia, laugh until her sides hurt, even coming from her honorary older brother, Sir Reginald Molina. 

He smiled to himself. He might not be able to stop this whole predicament, but he could help her through it.

Reggie hopped up, fixing his suit. The silky red fabric of the vest hadn’t creased at all, nor had his grey suit pants, and yet he still felt the need. He did, however, roll the sleeves of his black dress shirt to expose his forearms, because come _on._ Even with Dahlia’s cool climate, he still got hot, especially when the sun was streaming through his windows, and he had a few photos outside before Prince Alexander’s arrival. Plus, it didn’t hurt that, according to his Instagram followers, the rolled sleeves made him look “personable” and “hotter than the sun.” 

Reggie ran a finger over the shimmering black embroidery of the vest, then winking at the mirror and pulling his best finger guns. It was his god-given right as a fancy bisexual. 

He ran his hand through his expertly-styled hair, letting some of his waves free from their stiff hold. It wasn’t the perfect style it had been when his butler styled it a couple hours ago, but it was more of his _own_ style, which he liked a bit better. 

Spinning on his heel and slipping a hand in his pocket, Reggie walked out his door and down the light-filled corridor, down to the front steps, waving to Mira along the way. As he stepped outside, he heard people outside of the palace gates start shouting. He gave a wink and playful salute, even daring to blow a kiss in the general direction of a cute girl. He noticed Julie rolling her eyes, the photographer seizing the moment to take some shots of him on the palace steps. 

He jogged over to Julie, wrapping his arm around her. 

“How are you doing, your highness?”

“I’m doing okay,” she said, though both of them knew it was a lie. “How about you, Reg?”

“I’m okay as well. Just popping in to see my fangirls-” he winked at the crowd behind the gate, and a chorus of teenage girls (and a few boys) all sighed dreamily- “and check on you. We both know you’re lying.” Julie groaned.

“This whole thing just sucks.”

“Tell me about it,” he agreed. “But I’ll be here for you every step of the way. You know that, right dude?”

“You’re such a sappy loser,” she told him, and he put her in a playful headlock, posing for the camera.

“I know.” Reggie might’ve been a “sappy loser” of a brother, but he knew that, in Julie’s book, he was a sappy loser (affectionate), and that she understood that he was there for her. 

Hopefully that would be enough. 

\-----

## Willie POV

...

Willie had never actually gotten to know Princess Julie, but he’d met her a couple times. He was a chef in the palace kitchens, and on occasion, Julie would come down to try to get to know people. He’d never truly had a long conversation with her, but in the interactions they’d had, she was kind, and had a musical air to her. 

He’d seen pictures of the prince she was set to marry, Prince Alexander of Tambor. If Willie was being honest, he was kind of cute.

Okay, really cute. 

He’d never actually met the guy, but he seemed nice. His photos on Instagram had good vibes, at least. Willie couldn’t help but hope he’d get to meet him when he came to visit. If it was just because his brain was screaming _cute boy,_ that was nobody’s business but his. 

Willie sprinkled more flour on the dough he was kneading, folding it in some more. It was cathartic, this repetitive motion. It helped calm his ADHD sometimes. He kept going.

Sprinkle. Fold. Roll.

Sprinkle. Fold. Roll.

Kneading the dough until it wasn’t sticky, he listened to the head chef, Lilian, shout orders at the rest of them. She was a very intimidating woman, tall and muscular, with raven black hair in a sleek ponytail, and fair skin flecked with flour. But she was quite kind, Willie had come to learn over the years. She was just one of those people who scared you if you didn’t know them. 

He put the dough in a pan, setting it in the oven and flicking on the light so he could monitor its progress, as could anyone else walking by. Wiping the flour from his hands to his apron, he then put his dishes and utensils in the giant dishwasher, finally washing his hands and grabbing a new bowl. 

Tonight was the welcome feast for Prince Alexander. Willie and a few others were in charge of baking loaves of bread for the appetizers, as well as making the desserts; today, mini chocolate mousse cakes. 

Dessert was always Willie’s favorite course to prepare, and not just because he could steal bits of frosting from the spatulas after he was finished. It was also because of how making desserts seemed to put everyone in the kitchens in a good mood. Maybe it was the smell of rising sugar, or the bright colors of the tubs of sprinkles, but he adored it. 

He cracked the eggs into the mixture of butter and sugar, adding the milk and flour soon after. As he poured in the cocoa powder, a little bit poofed up, creating a chocolatey cloud. The noise of the mixture did nothing to silence his racing thoughts, though. 

Would he get to meet Prince Alexander?

Would he like him?

And most importantly, _why did he want to so badly?_

Willie shook his head, doling the batter into mini cake pans and tapping them on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles, sticking them in an oven after it beeped to temperature. 

Another oven beeped.

“Hey, Alyssa?” he called to a plump woman a few meters away. “Could you check on the bread in that oven to your right?” She nodded and leaned down, giving him a thumbs up.

“Probably needs another minute or so, but it looks great.”

“Sick, thanks!” Alyssa nodded and smiled, her dyed-purple hair shimmering in its bun. Willie grabbed the ingredients he would need for the mousse, arranged them on the counter, then jogged over to the other oven and pulled out the bread - without putting on oven mitts.

He hissed in pain but didn’t let go, quickly putting it on the stovetop and running to a sink to run his fingers under cold water.

Willie already had tons of scars and calluses on his hands, both from cooking and skateboarding on his off-days, so the burn didn’t hurt nearly as bad as it would’ve a few years ago. And by some miracle, it didn’t blister - though it _did_ swell and turn red. Willie cursed under his breath, heading to the first-aid kit and smearing some ointment on it and covering it with a bandage. 

“Let me guess,” said Lilian from behind him. “You forgot oven mitts again?”

“Guilty,” he said with a grin. Lilian sighed, but didn’t manage to hide her smile. 

“Willie, you need to be more careful. I know your brain always has, like twenty thoughts going at all times, but you could hurt yourself.”

“Twenty-three,” he corrected. “And I _know,_ but you only live once, and I didn’t want the bread to burn.”

“Five seconds to grab a mitt wouldn’t burn the bread.”

“Hey, there’s a first time for everything.” Lilian rolled her eyes and gently swatted him on the shoulder. It wasn’t a mean move, of course, it was her saying she was exasperated but that she cared about you. Willie laughed and went back to his mixing bowl, getting ready to prepare the mousse.

This would be perfect.


	2. A Tale of Punches and Pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Julie welcomes Alex to Dahlia, she's trying to ignore strange feelings for his (very cute) guard. Alex, on the other hand, is doing his best to stay calm, that is, until he's outside the great hall and (literally) runs into the cutest baker he's ever met. Luke is enchanted by Julie, a beautiful badass in a princess dress, and Willie is confused but vibing with these newfound emotions. Meanwhile, Reggie is noticing this and scheming. What kind of brother would he be if he wasn't down for a little bit of treason? 
> 
> Feat. Reggie and Ray bonding time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, this chapter is a lot longer than the last one, so be warned! I hope you enjoy it!

\-----

##  Alex POV

...

The jet ride was nice from a glance, but insufferable for Alex. His wish to leave my anxieties in Tambor? Yeah, he knew that was bullshit. As the miles passed, his stomach bubbled and knotted more and more until he had no room for the small wrapped chocolates in the dish at the back of the plane. The fluffy clouds seemed to taunt him with their serenity, making him feel out of place with his disgust, anxiety, and anger. 

Why,  _ why,  _ did he have to be put in an arranged goddamn marriage when he was  _ nineteen?  _ The gods hated him, for sure. 

He was back to considering options in his fake-your-death-to-get-out-of-it plan when Luke finally broke the silence.

“Dude, you okay?”

“Have a guess.” The sarcasm in his voice was tangible. 

“Yes?”

“Have another guess.” Alex barely smiled at Luke’s laugh. “I just… I hate this. Julie’s awesome, dude, she’s one of my best friends. But I don’t want to marry her.”

“I feel you,” Luke responded. “I really,  _ really  _ want to get you out of it.”

“Thanks.” Alex went back to staring at the clouds.

…

As the plane touched down, the rumbling shook up the nerves in Alex’s stomach, and he had to shut his eyes and focus on his breathing and the feeling of Luke’s hand on his. He did his best not to crease his vest as he leaned over, holding on tight. 

When he felt the motion in his ears stop, he carefully opened his eyes, relieved when he wasn’t nauseous. Of course, he couldn’t get rid of the anxiety. 

They’d landed in the runway behind the Dahlia palace, and thankfully, the small amount of vision he had out his plane window only showed the back of the palace and, on the other side, the tall, forested mountains in which he and Julie had run around in many times when they were younger. The scene was calming, and settled his nerves. 

As the doors opened, sending a crisp blast of cold Dahlian air in his face, the familiar smell of petrichor and honey reminded him of when he and Julie would run for hours, climbing trees as high as they could, despite Ray’s constant warnings and pleas for them to be careful. How simple it would be, really, to run out the plane door and across the runway until he was back, surrounded by the branches. It would be a nightmare, of course; he barely knew how to make a fire, which was definitely a skill he would need if he were to survive on his own in the cool Dahlian climate. Surely he could figure it out, though. It couldn’t be  _ that  _ hard. And the motivation of not having to act straight for the rest of his life would certainly help. He wondered just how fast he could run-

He was jolted back to reality by Luke excitedly hitting his shoulder. 

“Your highness, as your Royal Best Dude™ I am legally required to get you up and moving so that you don’t start spiraling. Plus, I’m hungry.” Alex rolled his eyes and laughed despite himself. 

He wasn’t going through this alone. 

…

He should’ve expected the cameras, really. But the bright flashes startled him as soon as he stepped out of the plane, and he had to quickly struggle to compose himself. He gave small smiles and respectful waves, walking across the long runway to the limousine waiting for him. He would be making a round past the palace gates before formally entering the palace from the front. So he climbed into the lush leather seats, with Erik and Luke right behind him, and sat down, squeezing his hands into fists and then running his fingertips over the indents from his nails. 

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped together as he tapped his foot. He wouldn’t admit it, but the feeling of Luke’s and Erik’s hands on his shoulders helped. A lot. Tension melted away from him, and while he was still nervous, he somehow managed to stand and steadily walk out of the limo, a smile breaking out on his face as he saw Julie. 

Alex wasn’t sure why he was surprised at how beautiful Julie was, there really was no paralleling her beauty. And yet, his heart swelled with pride at seeing her elegant violet dress, embroidered with dahlias. 

“Alex, why the hell do you walk so fast?” asked Luke, breathing heavily and trying to keep up. 

“I’m gay. Next question.” 

“That’s fair.” 

As he ran to Julie, Alex was so caught up in the euphoria of seeing his friend in person that, for a moment, he lived in a world where the paparazzi wasn’t a thing. But he didn’t care. Julie saw him and ran through the gardens, a huge grin visible from hundreds of feet away. She ran to him, her gown flowing in the breeze, and as soon as they were within a few feet of each other, Julie jumped and Alex let out an “oof” as he caught her in a hug, spinning around and laughing.

“It’s so good to see you!” she exclaimed, and Alex nodded.

“Yeah, you too! Even though we, you know, FaceTimed last night.”

“Eh, details. Besides, the press wants a happy reunion.”

“Fair.”

“How was the plane ride?” 

“Amazing,” Alex said. “Nothing better than being on the edge of a panic attack while you’re thousands of feet in the air.”

“I’ll fight your anxiety,” Julie decided. “Tell it to meet me behind the Denny’s tonight.” Alex snorted. 

“I’d rather you didn’t punch my brain. I kinda need it.”

“Do you?” Alex gasped in mock offense.

“Okay,  _ rudeness  _ aside, I think this is the part where we walk around the garden and pretend we don’t know there are photojournalists hiding behind the bushes.” Julie nodded and took his arm.

As they strolled around the gardens, the aroma of flowers settled some of Alex’s nerves. He never turned around to make sure Luke was there, but he somehow knew. It was the Royal Best Dude™ telepathy, probably. And Erik was probably bringing his suitcase up to wherever he would be staying. So, Alex did his best to relax and hang out with his friend.

“Ava’s going to be ascending soon,” he noted. “She’s pumped. Though I’m not sure how good of an idea it is to let a twenty-three year old run a country.” Julie laughed.

“I’m happy for her! And I’m sure she’ll be fine. She knows how to party, for sure, but she’s also responsible. I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah, I’ll let my anxiety know.” Julie burst out laughing, and Alex soon followed. 

“Her Royal Majesty, Queen Ava Mercer of Tambor,” Julie said. “It has a nice ring to it.” Alex nodded. 

“Yeah. I’m excited for her, too. All jokes aside, I think she’ll make a great queen.”

“Definitely.”

A few moments passed, including Julie gently picking a rose from the garden, one with a pale pink coloring, and sticking it behind Alex’s ear. When it wouldn’t stay, she scrunched her nose and carefully tucked it into the breast pocket of his vest. 

“You look absolutely dashing, your highness,” she said with a fake, posh accent. Alex giggled and rolled his eyes. 

“You’re a dork.”

“I know.” 

…

His room was really something. 

After he and Julie had finished their walk around the gardens, they’d given each other cordial bows (of course tied with a friendly wink, because they were just Like That), and Erik had shown him up to his quarters. Luke followed, and Alex noticed his cheeks were considerably red. 

It was chillier in Dahlia than it was in Tambor, though, and Luke had never been Plus, a breeze had flown in during the last ten minutes of their walk, on which Luke was shadowing. He was probably flushed from the cold air. 

He was down the hall from Julie’s room, in one of the guest rooms he’d used when playing hide-and-seek with Julie when they were kids. But it had been completely refurbished, since he would be staying there for a few months.

The soft carpet was a creamy tan, and the large, full-length mirrors let in sunlight that cast gentle shadows from the posters on the giant bed, which was adorned with blue sheets and pillows, with gold and pink accents. The dark, forest green walls gave the room a soothing effect, and the twinkling fairy lights were like fireflies in a meadow. A crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling, glittering with diamonds and gold. A mahogany record player sat on a media table, along with wireless chargers for his phone and laptop, next to the sliding door that led to a huge bathroom. The tiles were light tan and grey, peppered with flecks of quartz that shimmered in the light. A giant tub sat near a tinted window, as well as a vanity with a majestic painted mirror. The shower could’ve fit his entire bed.

Even though he wasn’t keen on marrying Julie, he wouldn’t dislike his stay here. 

“Dude,” Luke whispered. “Your room is  _ awesome.”  _

“I know, right? Definitely nicer than my room in Tambor.” 

As Alex went to his giant suitcase full of neatly folded clothes, beginning to tuck them into drawers and onto hangers, Luke helped out. 

“So,” Alex began, breaking the silence. “How are you liking Dahlia so far?”

“It’s great! Kinda cold, but I’ll get used to it. And… Julie seems really nice.”

Alex definitely didn’t miss Luke’s blush when he mentioned the princess, and his lips raised into a smirk.

“Yeah, she is. You should get to know her at dinner tonight.” Luke cleared his throat.

“Uh, yeah. Definitely.”

“You good?”

“Totally,” he insisted, though his voice rose an octave and Alex couldn’t suppress his laugh. 

“Sure.”

…

The dinner was incredible. Platters of roast beef sat next to giant bowls of mashed potatoes, and the bread appetizers were soft and delicious. And, even though he was legally allowed to have alcohol based on Dahlian laws, he thought better of it, instead filling his glass with water. He noticed that Julie did the same. 

“Not a fan of wine?” he asked. 

“Nah, not really. It always gives me a stomachache.” 

“Same.”

Alex went back to his food, before noticing a man around his age eyeing him. He had dark hair and was dressed in a red vest and dark grey shirt. He seemed quite kind, if the small smile on his face had any say.

“That’s your brother, Reggie, right? I think I’ve only met him once.”

Julie followed Alex’s gaze. “Oh yeah! You would get along great, I think.”

“Cool.”

…

Before dessert was brought up, everyone in the grand hall got to mingle for about twenty minutes and let their food settle. Alex let Julie introduce him to Reggie, with whom he immediately hit it off. 

“No way, you play the drums?” Reggie asked. “I’ve always wanted to learn, but I’m no good.”

“Yeah, I do! You said you play bass?”

“Yep!”

“That’s awesome, dude.”

Their conversation lasted a bit longer, and Alex felt confident that he and Reggie would be good friends, especially because of his lighthearted demeanor, and their bro-hug before Alex was pulled away to talk to another nobleman. 

He was bounced around like a ping-pong ball, being chatted up by guest after guest. Soon, though, he needed some air, so he searched to room for King Ray.

“Your majesty?” he asked, jogging over. Ray turned to him and gave a warm smile, shaking his hand.

“Hello, Alex. You can call me Ray. Are you alright?”

“Yeah, thanks. I was just wondering if I could sneak out the back for a moment? I need some air.” Ray laughed.

“Of course, son. I told them to give you some space,” he noted, guestering to the nobles, “but I doubt they were able to contain their excitement.” Alex nodded, grateful for Ray’s chill vibes. “Try to be back in ten minutes?”

“Of course.”

Ray nodded and patted his shoulder, and Alex stepped through the back door of the grand hall, grateful when he didn’t see anyone. He took a deep breath, fiddling with the hem of his vest. 

A voice caught his ear. 

“-yeah, don’t worry, Alyssa. The mousse is in the refrigerator-” 

Alex whirled around, searching for whoever had spoken, but before he could…

_ WHAM.  _

A cold rush of air blew from behind him as a door opened, and someone ran into him.

Hard.

Alex stumbled forward, trying to catch himself but to no avail. His momentum swung him forward, leaving him on the ground. 

“Whoa!” he started, looking at the person who’d ran him over, and…

_ Oh fuck,  _ he thought.  _ He’s hot.  _

“Agh, sorry, I really need to watch where I’m-” the man cut off, his cheeks flushing. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, your highness.” He scrambled into a bow, and Alex blushed. 

“No, you’re good, bro.” 

Alex got a good look at him, and felt his cheeks flush. He had long, silky brown hair that fell over his shoulders in waves, and smooth brown skin that had darkened in a blush. His dark eyes were kind and playful, adorned with long eyelashes. 

Alex inhaled slowly, trying to ignore the rising gay panic. 

“Are you okay?” the man asked. 

“I’m fine, yeah. Thanks. Just trying to clear my head. Until you, you know, tried to crack it open.” To Alex’s surprise, the man giggled, and holy fuck, if he wasn’t already adorable, that would’ve been the tipping point. Creases folded at the corners of his eyes, and his perfect smile turned lopsided as he laughed. 

“I did pancake you, huh?” Alex tried to laugh, and the man cleared his throat. “Sorry. Oh, uh, I’m Willie. It’s nice to meet you.”

Alex reached for his hand. “Alex,” he greeted, still hoping his face wasn’t as red as it felt. 

“Well, I’d better make sure we’re clear to bring up dessert. But I’ll see you around, your royal pancakeness,” Willie said with a grin, spinning on his heel and going back to the kitchens. Alex nodded, even though he was already gone. 

\-----

##  Julie POV

...

As soon as Alex’s plane touched down, Julie couldn’t hide her excitement. She rushed through her photos, and as soon as she could see him, she took off running, a huge grin on her face. The silky fabric of her dress flapped against her shins, and she sprinted even faster, ignoring the goosebumps on her arms. 

As soon as she reached him, she jumped into the hug, laughing as he spun her around. They might have FaceTimed the day before, but it just wasn’t the same as seeing him in person. He was one of her best friends, and the fact that they hadn’t seen each other in so long was frankly biphobic. 

But as she spun around, finally opening her eyes, Julie caught sight of Alex’s guard. She’d never formally met him, and she’d always thought he was cute, but  _ wow.  _

He had deep hazel eyes and pale skin, cheeks flushed from the cold, his wavy brown hair neatly styled, with a touch of personal flair. His chiseled jawline cast a shadow on his neck, and his biceps were visible through his dark jacket. Julie tried to look away and focus on her friend, because now was the literal worst time to develop a crush on someone she barely knew. 

Not that she had a crush on him, or anything. 

Julie forced those thoughts out of her head, and scolded her stupid heart for fluttering when she caught his gaze. She turned back to Alex, laughing when he insinuated that photojournalists would be hiding behind the bushes. 

“Ava’s going to be ascending soon,” Alex told her. “She’s pumped. Though I’m not sure how good of an idea it is to let a twenty-three year old run a country.” Julie laughed, silently agreeing.

“I’m happy for her! And I’m sure she’ll be fine. She knows how to party, for sure, but she’s also responsible. I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah, I’ll let my anxiety know.” Julie burst out laughing, soon followed by Alex.

“Her Royal Majesty, Queen Ava Mercer of Tambor,” she said, letting the words flow off her tongue. “It has a nice ring to it.” 

“Yeah. I’m excited for her, too. All jokes aside, I think she’ll make a great queen.”

“Definitely.” There wasn’t a doubt in her voice, either. 

Julie had met Ava when she was eight. Ava had been thirteen, and was the coolest thirteen-year-old  _ ever,  _ in little Julie’s opinion. She vaguely remembered hanging out in her room with her, and thinking she was just the  _ coolest  _ ever. Then again, she was an eight year old. To an eight year old, all thirteen-year-olds are cool (or gross, but we don’t talk about that).

Julie walked with Alex, chatting about random things, including plans to get out of the arranged marriage, each more complicated than the next. Julie couldn’t stop herself from laughing when Alex brought up his temptation to just run into the woods with no supplies or survival skills, and just be a gay forest cryptid. She was quite fond of it, to be honest. 

Unfortunately, they didn’t have any plans that didn’t involve either faking their deaths, or something treasonous, neither of which would be good. At least, not in anyone else’s opinions. 

…

After Alex went up to his room, Julie did the same, and immediately flopped on her bed, finally allowing herself to process her thoughts about, well, everything.

God, she wanted out of this marriage. She knew Alex did as well. They’d talked about it endlessly over FaceTime, texting, and just now, in person. But neither of them could come up with an actual plan or a good enough reason to halt it. Because, you know, the people actually getting married never get a say. 

Plus, it did  _ not  _ help that Alex’s guard, who she’d learned was named Luke, was really cute. She furrowed her brow. She’d never even had a real conversation with the guy. Not that it mattered, of course. She remembered when she was fifteen and had already decided that Nick Danforth-Evans was a sweetheart, even though she’d only had one real conversation with him. 

But this felt different somehow. She couldn’t help but feel like Luke was  _ actually  _ really nice. She just got those vibes from him. She cursed her stupid heart for making her feel things.  _ No, Molina. There’s no such thing as liking a cute guard.  _

It didn’t work. 

She stared at her ceiling, watching flecks of dust float around the air, and jumped when Flynn and Carrie walked into her room without knocking. It wasn’t like she actually  _ expected  _ them to knock, but she’d zoned out and the sudden sound took her by surprise. 

“I know that look,” Flynn said matter-of-factly. “What’s the crisis about?”

“What  _ isn’t  _ it about?”

“Uh uh, don’t try to deflect by answering my question with another question,” Flynn scolded, and Carrie bit back a laugh. 

“I just…” she searched for an excuse. “I love that Alex is here, but I don’t want to marry him,” she said, remembering that the best lies were based on the truth. “And he’s gay, so I know for a fact he doesn’t want to marry me. Plus, you know. We’ve expressed that multiple times. And I know there’s really nothing I can do about it, because it’s all arranged, and bitching about it does nothing to help, but honestly? I’m just feeling bitchy.” 

“As you should,” Carrie agreed, to Julie’s surprise. “If anyone deserves to be a little bitchy, it’s you. I mean, come on. You’re a teenage girl who never actually got a normal life because you’re frickin’ Princess Julie Molina, heiress to the throne of Dahlia. And you’re stuck in an arranged marriage with one of your best friends, and neither of you want it, but you can’t actually change it. I’d be bitchy too.”

“Thank you for summing that up,” Julie deadpanned. “But… it helps. Thanks.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

“She’s right, Jules,” Flynn agreed. “Be the bitchy bisexual you deserve to be.” That elicited a laugh, and Julie couldn’t help but leave the smile resting on her face. 

“Alright,” she decided. “We have self-defense in half an hour, so we should get ready.” Flynn nodded and pulled Julie off of her bed, leading her to the giant walk-in closet, searching the hundreds of options, but steering clear from the gowns. 

Flynn and Carrie must’ve known she needed cheering up, because they sarcastically suggested the biggest, poofiest gowns Julie owned, tied with a tight shawl and the wobbliest heels imaginable. Julie laughed despite herself, especially since she could barely walk in the shoes they’d picked. She was also taller than six feet, which was a plus, but she would pick stability over height any day, especially when she was going to practice kicking people’s asses. 

Eventually, she settled on flexible black leggings with a purple stripe going down the outside of each leg, and a simple white tunic that starkly contrasted her dark skin. It was fitted but she could move easily in it, stretching into a backbend to make sure. 

She sighed and allowed Flynn and Carrie to take either arm and lead her downstairs to the training arena. 

…

The training arena was a huge room, the floors completely covered in mats, aside from the giant gymnastic trampolines at the far corner and the running track that traversed the perimeter. On the far side opposite the trampolines were sets of weights and treadmills, as well as other equipment like bars and benches. Punching bags were hung sporadically around the martial arts area, which was also used for tumbling and floor routines. 

Lady Athena gave a smile as they walked in, soon followed by Reggie and Mira. Lady Athena was a tall, muscular woman with silky black hair that was always in a high ponytail. Her bronze skin glittered with sweat, and her two-piece athleisure outfit left her chiseled abs on display. 

“Alright,” she said, clapping her hands. “Reggie, since you’re bigger, you’re with me. You four, pair up and practice your hand-to-hand skills. Remember the blocks we learned last week.” Julie nodded and paired with Flynn, immediately getting into position.

“Head’s up,” she warned with a smirk, before lunging with a punch that would’ve hit Flynn square in the chest if not for her catlike reflexes. She knocked Julie’s hand out of the way, and Julie had to twist to avoid Flynn’s counterattack, letting herself lean backwards. But when she almost fell, she used it to her advantage, hopping backwards onto one hand and spinning, tripping Flynn by kicking her feet out from under her. Before Flynn could recover, Julie pounced over her, grabbing her shirt collar and pulling her fist back, ready to attack. She didn’t follow through, obviously, but she knew she had good form. 

“Well done, your highness,” praised Lady Athena. Julie blushed.

“Thanks.”

“Whatever,” Flynn grumbled, and Julie laughed. “Rematch?”

“You’re on.”

…

Julie had defeated Flynn four times to two, and was feeling very confident. It must’ve helped, exercising, because her worries about Alex and Luke were far away as she battled Carrie and then Mira. Or, they were until a certain brunette guard walked in the room in a sleeveless shirt and shorts that showed off his muscles. 

She shouldn’t have let herself get distracted, though, because in her haze, Mira managed to throw her off balance and win their round. 

“Hah! That’s two each!” She outstretched her hand, which Julie gratefully accepted, pulling her up. 

“Good job,” she said, still distracted but keeping her eyes far away from Luke. 

“Hi, is this the self-defense lesson?” Luke asked, and Julie could no longer ignore him. 

“It is,” Lady Athena confirmed. “You’re Prince Alexander’s guard, correct?”

“And certified Royal Best Dude™,” he added with a grin that was so adorable it made Julie flush. By some miracle, nobody noticed. 

“Alright, why don’t you train with Reggie? He can show you what we’re working on. I need to go make sure nobody’s going to throw out their back at the weights.” With that, Lady Athena stalked off, her ponytail swaying behind her. 

Luke walked over to Reggie, and Julie did her best not to stare as Reggie guided Luke, and they began sparring. Luke was surprisingly agile, but he was too enthusiastic, reaching for every possible blow, not realizing where he left himself vulnerable. But his puppy eyes when Reggie defeated him were too cute. 

Julie cleared her throat and turned away. 

“Tiebreaker?” Mira nodded, and they went to sparring. Julie ducked and dodged every hit of Mira’s, even getting in a few herself, but she was thrown off when she heard Luke laugh, a musical, joyful sound, and Mira took advantage of her momentary slip, finally beating her. 

“Yes!” Mira jumped and pumped her fist, then helped Julie up. 

“Nice job!” Julie grinned with the words, high-fiving Mira. 

“Alright, break time.”

Julie walked to the edge of the wall where she’d left her water bottle and towel, almost choking on her water when she heard Luke’s voice behind her. 

“Your highness?” he asked shyly. “I don’t believe we’ve formally met.” Julie smiled and outstretched her hand, shaking Luke’s. “I’m Alex’s guard, Luke.”

“Hi! You can call me Julie,” she said with a smile, hoping her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. “Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, you too! Oh, by the way, great job during your fights. I saw your takedown on the other girl, the one with the braids.”

“Oh, that’s Flynn.”

“Cool. But yeah, I saw your fight, and that was really impressive. I doubt I could spin on one hand like you did.” 

Well.

If Julie hadn’t been blushing before, she certainly was now. At least Luke’s cheeks were only red because of the intense workouts. 

“It took me forever to get that move right,” she admitted. “I only just got it down, if I’m being honest. I still slip up sometimes, too.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” he complimented. And oh, his smile really was a beautiful thing. 

“Alright, break time’s over,” called Lady Athena. “No more flirting.” Julie’s stomach dropped, and she inhaled, a denial already on her tongue, before she realized that her coach was looking at Flynn and Carrie, who were chatting animatedly, both blushing. 

She practiced a bit more with Carrie, doing her best to ignore the boy next to her. When the class finally ended, she hurriedly thanked Lady Athena before rushing up to shower.

Letting the hot water wash over her, she pondered how the hell Luke had wiggled his way into her heart so quickly within one conversation. 

Was she being brainwashed into liking a guy she barely knew?

Was this some elaborate trick that whatever higher being existed had orchestrated as a ploy to get her out of the arranged marriage?

… And more importantly, would it work? 

The thought made her laugh. Not that she didn’t slightly believe this was all some sort of elaborate trick to get her to commit treason and fall in love with someone she wasn’t supposed to, but it was funny nonetheless.

…

After she’d done her best to set the record for hottest, soapiest shower possible, Julie wrapped herself in a towel, massaging peach lotion into her skin, the scent matching her shampoo. As she rubbed it into her hands, she imagined what it would feel like holding Luke’s hand, before quickly banishing the thought away to the depths of simpy hell.

This was worse than she thought. 

She changed into her evening gown for the dinner, allowing Mira to lace up the back. It was all navy blue, a long strapless dress that reached her ankles, with a see-through tulle layer over top that went up to a sleeveless halter neckline, leaving the rest of the tulle layer to flow down neatly over the rest of the silky dress, which tightened at the waist. Tiny diamonds had been sewn into the tulle at her waist, high in concentration before gently tapering off the lower in the skirt they went.

“Okay,” Carrie said, walking in with Flynn beside her. “I think I speak for everyone when I say,  _ damn.  _ That dress is  _ fine.”  _ Flynn nodded enthusiastically. 

“I know, right?” Mira said excitedly. “I actually helped tailor this one! It was one of my favorites to make.”

“And for a good reason,” Julie agreed. “Mira, you’ve outdone yourself.”

“Not quite,” she said, turning Julie towards the vanity. “I’m thinking we do something simple but elegant for your hair?”

“I vote for that,” Flynn interjected. 

“Sure!”

Mira set to work, combing through Julie’s hair with her fingers. Julie closed her eyes. She’d always loved the feeling of people playing with her hair, and as Mira wove her dark locks into two thick braids that soon joined together, letting the rest of her hair poof at the base of her neck, Julie was transported back to her mother’s room when she was five. She remembered the feeling of her mother braiding her hair like it was yesterday, the gentle tugs and nimble fingers on her scalp. It wasn’t the same with Mira, of course, but it was refreshing and comforting at the same time. 

“Hey, Jules?” Flynn called from her closet.

“Mm?”

“Mind if I steal that asymmetrical dress for tonight? The jade one,” she clarified. 

“Feel free!”

The dress in mind was a slim-fitting jade green dress that reached her knees, but the hem was cut asymmetrically, leaving one side longer than the other. It had golden ribbon-like threads spun around it with no particular rhyme or reason, and a built-in sash made of pale, spring green tulle roses. The thin straps showed off her shoulders, and when Flynn walked out with it on, Julie noticed Carrie blush.

“Dude, you look awesome,” Julie complimented. Flynn twirled, letting the light play off of the shimmery fabric.

“Thanks!”

Mira finished doing Julie’s hair, and held up a mirror for her to see. Julie admired the thick, smooth braids that gently rejoined at the base of her neck, letting the rest of her dark curls loose in an elegant fashion.

“It’s amazing, Mira! Thank you so much.”

“Of course! And thank  _ you  _ for letting me do it,” she said with a giggle. “Your hair is so fun to style.” Julie blushed. 

…

The dinner was rather uneventful, thankfully. Julie wasn’t sure if she would’ve had the energy to constantly be answering questions. Instead, though, she got to introduce people to each other, and relax and eat, and try to keep her eyes away from a certain hazel-eyed guard.

She was grateful for the relatively simple task.

\-----

##  Luke POV

...

Luke had heard about the self-defense classes in the training arena, and he was itching to get moving, so he changed into workout clothes and headed down there. 

The spiral staircase was wide and glittered with colored glass, the silver banisters gleaming in the light. He trailed his hand down it as he made his way down.

When he reached the training arena, he closed the door behind him and went to set down his water bottle and towel- but not before noticing Julie.

At the self-defense class.

Thankfully, she didn’t see him. He hung back for a moment, watching as she sparred with another girl with long braids. The way she moved was incredible, like water flowing in a current, unpredictable and smooth. Of course, if anyone asked, he was most certainly  _ not  _ admiring it. He could silently appreciate her skills, though.

As she dodged hit after hit, throwing her own blocks and blows, it looked like the girl with braids had gotten the better of her, but as Julie leaned backwards, she hopped and - holy fuck - caught herself on  _ one hand,  _ spinning around in the air like some sort of ethereal breakdancer, and knocking the other girl’s feet out from under her, before pouncing, grabbing her shirt collar, and pulling back her fist, before freezing and laughing. 

_ Whoa.  _

So not only was she a wicked beauty, Luke realized, she was a human wrecking ball, too. 

He cleared his throat, tearing his eyes away from the beautiful badass in front of him, tuning out Lady Athena’s praise in favor of clearing his head before approaching to join. Not that it worked. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of Julie. The other three girls (and the guy, if he was being honest) were all stunningly fit and agile, but there was something about Julie that enchanted him. The way she was always smiling even in the middle of a training fight, how, even when she was defeated, she brushed it off with a laugh, how she was light on her feet like a cat as she dodged and spun, how she was needlessly extravagant with her self-defense and yet somehow always made it work. Maybe that’s just what princesses were like; even when defending themselves against possible attackers, they had to be as beautiful as ever. 

Of course, right now, Luke knew she didn’t look how she normally would, in her silky gowns and expertly styled hair. Now, she wore matching athletic clothes and had her hair pulled back into a ponytail, with some strands coming out in a sweaty frizz. And yet, that somehow just made her even more breathtaking. Even when she was sweaty and working out, she managed to look like an angel.

An angel who could easily kick his ass, he remembered as she pulled the upside-down-one-handed-breakdancer move again, this time on a redheaded girl he didn’t recognize. 

Before he could stop himself, he approached Lady Athena. 

“Hi, is this the self-defense lesson?” He asked the woman. 

“It is,” Lady Athena confirmed, and he nodded.. “You’re Prince Alexander’s guard, correct?”

“And certified Royal Best Dude™,” he added with a grin. He would never let go of that title.

“Alright, why don’t you train with Reggie? He can show you what we’re working on. I need to go make sure nobody’s going to throw out their back at the weights.” Luke nodded again as Lady Athena walked away.

He walked over to Reggie, shaking his hand.

“Hey, I’m Luke,” he introduced with a smile. Reggie shot one back.

“Reggie!”

“Nice to meet you! So, do we just… fight? I’m not sure how this is run here compared to in Tambor.” Reggie laughed. 

“Yeah, pretty much. You good at hand-to-hand?”

“I’m not bad,” he admitted. “But I’m no expert.” He couldn’t help looking at Julie. “Is she always that much of a badass?” Reggie followed his eyes to Julie. 

“Pretty much,” he said with a laugh, and Luke dearly hoped he wasn’t blushing.

“Good to know. In that case, if I introduce myself to her, how scared should I be?” He asked it with a smile and a joking tone, but he was actually a bit nervous. But, you know, just because he now knew that she could kick his ass seven ways to Sunday.

No other reason.

“Oh, don’t worry!” Reggie assured him. “She’s actually really nice. I’ve known her since she was eight,” he explained. Luke nodded, grateful for the reassurance.

“Alrighty then,” he said, hopping into a fighting stance. “Let’s get cracking.” 

…

By “let’s get cracking,” he was hoping he wouldn’t be cracking his ego, but he was sorely mistaken. Reggie didn’t seem like it, but he was  _ really  _ strong, and really good at fighting. Luke was more agile than him, and strength-wise he could compare, but the Dahlian style of fighting was so different from the Tamborian style. They were similar in many ways, of course; they had the same moves and strategies. But the ways they moved were so different, the ways they executed their moves had an uncanny grace and deadliness.

He did his best, reaching for every blow he could, trying to get the upper hand. And, to his credit, he won a few rounds. But he accidentally left himself vulnerable most of the time, leaving perfect opportunities for his opponent to strike, because Of Course He Did. 

When they called for a break, Luke wiped his forehead with a towel, grabbing a drink of water. Then, he swallowed the lump in his throat and approached Julie.

“Your highness?” he asked shyly. “I don’t believe we’ve formally met.” Luke tried not to blush when she smiled and shook his hand. “I’m Alex’s guard, Luke.”

“Hi! You can call me Julie,” she said with a gorgeous grin, and Luke knew he was a goner. “Nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, you too! Oh, by the way, great job during your fights. I saw your takedown on the other girl, the one with the braids.” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them, and he mentally kicked himself.  _ Not smooth, Patterson.  _ What if she thought he was creepy? 

Thankfully, though, she smiled.

“Oh, that’s Flynn!”

“Cool,” he said, relieved.  _ Nice and smooth, Patterson. _ “But yeah, I saw your fight, and that was really impressive. I doubt I could spin on one hand like you did.” He reached up and scratched the back of his neck nervously, and he couldn’t help but feel accomplished when Julie’s cheeks flushed. Of course, his were probably just as red, but hopefully he could blame it on the workout.

“It took me forever to get that move right,” she admitted. “I only just got it down, if I’m being honest. I still slip up sometimes, too.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” he complimented with a smile. And it wasn’t a lie, either. 

“Alright, break time’s over,” called Lady Athena. “No more flirting.” Luke cleared his throat, getting ready to insist that he wasn’t flirting, before he realized that Lady Athen was looking at Flynn and another redheaded girl, who were chatting animatedly, both blushing. He sighed in relief. 

As he went back to sparring with Reggie, zoned out but fighting just as well as he was before, maybe even better, he pondered Julie’s abilities. How did she manage to be so beautiful, so graceful, and yet so kind and badass? It shouldn’t have been possible for any one human to do that all, much less a teenage girl who was already juggling the responsibilities of being a princess. 

Julie was, Luke realized, even more incredible than he’d ever thought possible.

…

All throughout the dinner, he was trying not to stare at Julie. Her dress was absolutely gorgeous, and the way she flitted around the room like a butterfly was absolutely ethereal. Tie that with the diamonds sewn into her navy blue dress that looked like fading stars and twinkled in the light, and she looked like she was wrapped in starlight. He knew it was appropriate for that star of a woman, but still, he thought it should’ve been illegal for anyone to have that effect on him. 

His cheeks were red, and he stared at his plate, inhaling the scent of roast beef and mashed potatoes, along with the aroma of warm bread from his appetizer. 

Even with the cool air of Dahlia and his thin shirt and suit vest, he was still sweating. He was absolutely gone for a girl he’d only had one conversation with, a girl he’d only known for a maximum of five hours. 

A girl who his best friend was being forced to marry. 

That was the worst part of all of this. His best friend, who would never be in love with Julie no matter how good of friends they were, had to marry her because of goddamn international relations, and there was nothing he could do about it.  _ And,  _ a selfish part of him thought,  _ it means you never had a chance.  _ He shoved the thoughts out of his head, hating the lingering ache they left in his heart. 

Not that he would’ve ever had a chance anyway. She was a beautiful, badass princess, and he was just a guard she didn’t even know. 

\-----

##  Reggie POV

...

As soon as the plane landed on the runway behind the palace, Reggie smiled at Julie, letting go of her hand as she readied herself.

He understood her worry. No matter how close you are with someone, being set to marry them - especially when you didn’t want to - was daunting. Of course, he’d never been through the same thing, but he was always an empathetic person, and he could practically feel his own sister’s worry and ache.

He saw Prince Alexander walking to the gardens, and smiled when Julie broke into a grin, running to him. He twirled rose petals between his fingers, letting out a small laugh when she jumped into Alex’s arms. He didn’t want to seem like a helicopter brother, though, so he went back inside, leaving Jules with Prince Alexander. 

When he stepped inside, he nearly ran into Ray.

“Whoa, sorry!” Ray laughed. 

“You’re perfectly fine, mijo. Everything okay?” Reggie sighed.

“I’m just worried for Julie. I’ve never really gotten to know Prince Alexander, and-”

“I’ll stop you there,” Ray said. “Believe me, I know what you mean, and if I could stop it without huge consequences, I would. But Alex isn’t someone you need to worry about. That boy is one of the sweetest, kindest people I’ve ever met,” he assured him. “And while I know neither of them want to get married, I know that they’re both mature, and good friends.”

“Thanks,” Reggie sighed. “I just wish I could get her out of it, you know? I mean, that’s my little sister.”

“I understand,” the king agreed. “But unfortunately, there isn’t anything to be done other than let Alex settle in.” Reggie nodded glumly. “Hey, wasn’t there a progression you wanted to show me? On your bass?” Ray clarified. Reggie immediately lit up. 

“Yeah! Julie and I have been working on a song called Icarus, and she’s got a killer piano melody worked out. I went off of some of her chords and found a super cool progression on my bass that adds a really nice line underneath hers, and it sounds-” he did the chef’s kiss thing with his hand- “divine.”

“Alright, well now I’ve gotta see it!” Reggie’s grin lit up even more and he ran to his room, followed by Ray, who was jogging behind him. 

Reggie’s room was huge, the walls painted dark blue. He’d always found the color soothing. He snatched his red and white bass guitar from its stand, spinning on his heel as he ducked under the strap, letting it settle by his waist. 

When Ray met him there, Reggie grinned, plucking the strings animatedly until he remembered the notes. He didn’t bother grabbing his phone to try and find them from wherever he’d written them down in the endless scrolling of his notes app. Soon, though, his chaotic ADHD brain remembered, and he began excitedly plucking specific notes in a rhythmic pattern, his fingers stretching to reach each fret as he hopped from the E string to A, then G back to E and D. He smiled even brighter when he saw Ray grinning and tapping his foot to the beat.

“So, it kinda just goes like that, until we get to the chorus. Then, I come in with a little…” he slid his finger down the string, letting the note slide down before he hopped back into the rhythm, the same notes as before, but ordered differently, giving a new feel to the music. 

He hopped around, spinning as he played his bass, humming the lyrics under his breath.

“That sounds super cool, mijo!” Ray exclaimed, one eyebrow furrowed, as was custom for him whenever he was excited. Reggie hopped up and down happily, fixing the cuff of one of his sleeves. 

“Thanks! Julie and I are gonna try to record it. I’m trying to learn how to play the drums, to add a steady beat, but I can’t seem to figure it out.”

“I’m sure you’ll get it soon.” Reggie beamed. “I’m so sorry, mijo, I have to go. I’d love to hear more later or tomorrow, though!”

“Okay,” Reggie said. “Bye!” He continued playing marking down cool progressions he found, and just hopping around to get out his wiggles. 

…

At the self-defense class, he sparred with Lady Athena. Sometimes he would spar with Julie or Flynn, but even though she was no doubt better at fighting, he was also bigger, and she was paired with Flynn. 

Lady Athena was amazing at fighting, and Reggie got his ass kicked most of the time, but he was able to win a couple rounds, which he was quite proud of. Lady Athena complimented his form, and he had no doubt that he would be gathering serotonin from that compliment for weeks. Even then, though, he got plenty from seeing his badass little sister master her insane breakdance-style move, with which she completely demolished Flynn in a few seconds. His chest swelled with pride when she won.

Soon, though, a man named Luke entered the studio, and Reggie definitely didn’t miss Julie’s blush when she looked at him. She might’ve been supposed to marry Alex, but it wasn’t like either of them wanted it. Plus, he was always down for a little treason, especially if it was with Julie. 

Lady Athena paired Luke with Reggie, perfect timing for her to go check on some of the other people in the arena. 

“Hey, I’m Luke,” the man introduced with a smile. Reggie gave his trademark grin.

“Reggie!” He outstretched his hand, and Luke shook it. 

“Nice to meet you! So, do we just… fight?” Luke asked. “I’m not sure how this is run here compared to in Tambor.” Reggie laughed. He’d never sparred with anyone from Tambor before, so this would be fun.

“Yeah, pretty much.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You good at hand-to-hand?”

“I’m not bad, but I’m no expert.” Reggie followed his gaze as it shifted over to Julie. “Is she always that much of a badass?” He asked, clearly in awe.

“Pretty much,” Reggie replied with a laugh, grinning at Luke’s blush.

Simp.

“Good to know. In that case, if I introduce myself to her, how scared should I be?” Luke was fiddling with the hem of his shirt by that point. 

“Oh, don’t worry!” Reggie assured him. “She’s actually really nice. I’ve known her since she was eight,” he explained.

“Alrighty then,” he said, hopping into a fighting stance. “Let’s get cracking.” Reggie grinned and reciprocated, taking the first strike. 

The first thing he learned was that Luke was very opportunistic in his fighting style. He went for nearly every possible blow, even if it meant leaving himself vulnerable. Reggie, of course, took advantage of this. He had to make sure his new friend (and sister’s possible future treasonous boyfriend) knew he could protect people. 

Luke pouted, and Reggie couldn’t help but admit that he had adorable puppy eyes. 

He helped him up, laughing. A few more sparring rounds passed, and Luke turned out to be quite adaptable. He found ways to get past Reggie’s blocks, and even put some up himself. Soon, they were evenly matched, and Reggie was impressed. Although, he soon found that he could get in another blow by telling a horrible joke, then striking when Luke laughed.

He thought it was pretty genius.

…

The dinner was rather uneventful. He did, however, get to meet Prince Alexander, which he was very happy about - even more so now that he was confident in Ray’s assurance that he was a good person. They’d chatted about politics and whatnot, before both admitting that they were bored. Somehow, the conversation strayed to music.

“No way, you play the drums?” Reggie asked excitedly. “I’ve always wanted to learn, but I’m no good.”

“Yeah, I do! You said you play bass?”

“Yep!” He beamed, making a mental note to ask if he wanted to see, sometime later.

“That’s awesome, dude.”

“Thanks!” 

They talked for a little while longer, before Alex was pulled away to talk to some other Dahlian nobleman whose name Reggie kept forgetting. Plus, Alex seemed tired; unsurprising, given the long day he must’ve had. 

Reggie eventually settled down and ran through his thoughts.

He knew he couldn’t protect Julie, not like he wanted to. Plus, she didn’t need  _ protecting,  _ he’d come to realize after Luke’s “badass” comment at the training arena. Julie Molina wasn’t just a badass in self-defense, she was also a badass in every other sense of the word. She was a teenage girl, the heiress to the Dahlian throne, juggling her academic lessons and royal lessons, along with making time for her friends, free time,  _ and  _ she managed to (usually) get enough sleep. She was a complete badass who didn’t need protecting. 

She needed support, instead. That was something Reggie could do. He could be by her side every step of the way, no matter how hard it got. He was her brother, and he loved her more than life itself, loved every crooked smile, every curl of hair, every eye roll after one of his famously bad jokes. She didn’t deserve any of this, but by God, he’d do his best to make it bearable for her. 

\-----

##  Willie POV

...

After lunch, the burn on Willie’s hand had calmed. Rather than the angry red mark it was earlier, it had shrunk into an annoyed red streak. Still a nuisance, but he didn’t really care.

As Willie whipped the mousse, his mind strayed to Prince Alexander. 

What was he like? Was he as cute in person as he was in photos? Probably, Willie decided. Photos never fully captured someone’s beauty unless they knew what they were looking for, and that was always more of an emotion. Photojournalists aimed for lighting and composition. There were always emotion in the photos, yes, but they never actually got to see the people in the photo. 

He wondered if he would get to meet him. Would it go well? Would he like the bread he’d so carefully baked? Would he enjoy the mousse cake he was whipping up right now? All of these questions whirled around in Willie’s brain as he whipped the mousse, letting it become airy and fluffy. Sprinkles of cocoa powder dusted the counter next to his mixing bowl, but it was fine. It would all get wiped up later. 

He grabbed a tub of fine cinnamon, sprinkling in a pinch for a little bit of kick. It was barely noticeable, but it gave the mousse an extra depth that it normally would’ve lacked. He’d never told anyone his secret, despite prying from Lilian. 

Sprinkling in a tiny bit more to account for the large batch, his thoughts wandered again.

How was Princess Julie dealing with all of this? Willie had never had a real conversation with her, but she seemed to be very well put-together. She managed everything so well, at least from the outside. Though he knew better than anyone that, no matter how organized someone may seem, there’s always a storm underneath. 

Willie finished up, putting plastic wrap over the mousse and sticking it in the giant refrigerator, before taking off his apron, washing his hands, and heading for the door.

“Willie?” Called Alyssa from behind him. He turned around, walking backwards. 

“Yeah? I’m just going on break.”

“Did you finish making the mousse?”

“Yeah, don’t worry, Alyssa,” he said, walking out the door. The mousse is in the refrigerator-” 

_ WHAM.  _

Willie let out a slight “oof” as he ran into the person in the hallway.

He stumbled, catching himself before he fell, though not as gracefully as he would’ve liked. He’d fared better than the other person, though. 

“Whoa!” The man said.

“Agh, sorry, I really need to watch where I’m-” Willie cut himself off, his cheeks flushing as he realized he’d just ran into Prince Alexander.

Well, so much for making a good impression.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, your highness.” He scrambled into a bow, and blushed. 

“No, you’re good, bro.” Willie was taken aback by the casual response, but he wasn’t complaining. 

Willie finally got a good look at him, and wasn’t at all surprised when he found that he was even more stunning in person.Of course, it made it a whole lot harder to hide his gay panic.

He had blonde hair that was expertly styled, and a crisp, blue suit vest with minimalistic gold embroidery that brought out flecks of blue in his eyes and highlights in his hair. His muscles were defined and visible through the sleeves of his white dress shirt, and even when he was frazzled after just having been knocked over, he still looked as handsome as ever.

“Are you okay?” Willie asked, concerned. 

“I’m fine, yeah. Thanks. Just trying to clear my head. Until you, you know, tried to crack it open.” Willie couldn’t help himself from laughing, and dearly hoped it wasn’t the wrong move. But the prince had a small smile on his face and pink dusting his cheeks, so he had a feeling it was okay.

“I did pancake you, huh?” He tried to laugh, and Willie nervously cleared his throat. “Sorry. Oh, uh, I’m Willie. It’s nice to meet you.”

Willie outstretched his hand, delighted when the other man shook it. “Alex,” he greeted, still blushing a little bit, which could be chalked up to the embarrassment of being plowed over. Willie was worried things would get awkward soon, so he searched for an excuse, hating that he had to leave.

“Well, I’d better make sure we’re clear to bring up dessert,” he said. “But I’ll see you around, your royal pancakeness,” Willie added with a grin, spinning on his heel and going back to the kitchens, hoping Alex hadn’t noticed his internal gay panic.

…

“Well, that was a quick break,” Alyssa pointed out.

“Yeah, I guess it was,” Willie agreed, not fully listening. 

He’d fucking  _ pancaked  _ the  _ prince.  _ Prince Alexander Mercer of Tambor. And Willie, despite his constant hoping for a good impression, ran him over because he wasn’t even watching where he was going. 

How the hell was he such a mess? And even more, how would he ever be accepted by literal royalty who was way too cute to even exist? 

Willie shook his head, letting his hair fall over his shoulders, ignoring the feeling of Alyssa’s eyes on him as he walked into the giant refrigerated room, grabbing the huge bowl of chocolate mousse and scooping it into a piping bag, grabbing some of the chilled cakes.

His hands were steady and meticulous as he gently piped the mousse onto the cakes, making a thick layer on top of each, then lifting into a swirl that peaked in the center, adorning each cake with a bit of wafer and chocolate. He set each one on a tray, waiting for Alyssa to pick it up. Plating was her specialty, because according to Lilian, any time Willie did plating, it ended up “chaotic” and “messy” and “unorthodox.” Personally, he thought it was cool. But, not everyone could have taste, he supposed. 

…

Later that night, as he wandered into his small room in the chefs’ quarters, laying down on the soft bed, his mind wandered to Alex. Despite constantly being on the news, he was a mystery, an enigma, a puzzle Willie had the urge to solve. What were his interests? His desires? His hopes, his dreams? 

Of course, he would never be able to act on his feelings about the prince, how adorably awkward he was, how gorgeous he was in any outfit, no matter the style, how even in one simple conversation, Willie had become so enamored that he wanted to know everything about him. Not in a creepy way, of course, but in the way one wishes to know someone they’ve just met, who intrigues them to no end. 

That night, his dreams were haunted by a familiar face, a shy smile, and a piercing set of bluish eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is!!!!! If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider leaving a comment. I thrive off of validation.
> 
> As always, please feel free to come harass me on Tumblr at girlboss-molina!


	3. A Demonstrative Lesson in Simping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie is the resident badass, and naturally, Lady Athena wants her to show the guards-in-training her self-defense move. But who should she run into but Luke Patterson, and end up sparring with him? Meanwhile, Alex goes on an impromptu skating semi-date with Willie, and Reggie does some meddling with Mira.
> 
> Simping levels are off the charts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This chapter is a lot longer than the last ones!!! It came out at over 12k... I apologize in advance. There are paragraph breaks though, I'm no monster. I have ADHD, for the gods' sake. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!! It practically wrote itself. Writing it was so much fun, I love toying with their emotions and reactions to events. 
> 
> ALSO!!! Cliffhanger at the end! Because of how the cliffhanger will pan out, Julie's POV is last this chapter. You'll see why...

\-----

##  Alex POV

...

It had been a week, and Alex hadn’t seen Willie since that fateful night when he’d earned the nickname “your royal pancakeness.” It was probably better that way, to be honest. The way Willie moved, everything about him, the energy that surrounded him, it made Alex feel weird and fluttery. If his anxious reading through the random romance novels on the bookshelf in his room, plus his constant googling of “do I have a crush” quizzes (on incognito tabs,  _ obviously;  _ treason wasn’t very high on his bucket list) said anything about his current situation, though, he was royally screwed. 

No pun intended.

It didn’t help, either, that every time he thought about the baker’s smile, his long hair, the way his dark eyes crinkled at the edges when he laughed, a shiver ran down Alex’s spine. It was so confusing. How the hell could he have a crush on someone he barely knew?

He dragged a hand down his face, staring at the ceiling. Laying on the floor and questioning his existence had become a daily occurrence, oftentimes - like today - with Luke by his side. 

“Emotions are the bane of my existence,” he said plaintively, not bothering to look away from the high ceilings, letting the flecks of dust in the air blend in with the tiny spots in his vision after not blinking for so long. “Like,” he continued, “how is it logical that a couple little zaps to the brain can make your stomach drop, or make your palms sweat, or even a week after something happened, still make you feel cold and warm at the same time?”

He wasn’t sure if the question was meant to be rhetorical, but he was still grateful for Luke’s reply, however unhelpful it may turn out to be.

“Bro, I don’t know,” he agreed. “Like, one minute you’re fine, and the next you’re about to accidentally commit treason.” Alex let out a dry laugh.

“Tell me about it.” A few moments passed, and he blinked, finally letting new moisture clear his vision. “Also, called it.”

“Wh-” Luke started, clearing his throat. “What do you mean, ‘called it?’”

“You like Julie?” Alex assumed, ignoring the swelling bubble of treasonous worry in his stomach. “I might’ve overthought every possible aspect of this, and your comment about accidental treason confirmed what I already thought.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Luke drag a hand down his face, heard him groan.

“I barely know her,” he started, “but I’m already so… I don’t even know the word. Intrigued? Infatuated? In-something.” Alex nodded, letting his head smack back down on the carpet. “I’m sorry,” he added. 

“Why?”

“I can only imagine how much this must be on your anxiety, and this doesn’t help.”

“It doesn’t, but it’s not the first bit of accidental treason.” His eyes finally flicked away from their spot on the ceiling as Luke bolted upright. 

_ “No way,”  _ he said. “Who?” Alex’s cheeks flushed. Before he could respond, though, Luke spoke again. “Wait, let me get this straight. Well, gay. You’ve liked a guy for an entire week, and you  _ didn’t tell me?  _ This is a betrayal of our friendship!” Alex knew he was being dramatic.

“You say that as if you didn’t do the exact same thing,” he countered. Luke considered that for a moment. 

“Whatever. Okay, details.”

“His name’s Willie,” he said. “He’s a baker down at the kitchens behind the grand hall.” Alex saw a huge grin spread on Luke’s face, but couldn’t bring himself to share his friend’s ever-blooming optimism. He sighed. “Do you think there’s a way to go through with the marriage but like, platonically? Like, just tell the people ‘yeah we’re getting married, just not romantically.’ I just think that would work out better for everybody.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Luke said. “Not sure how it would work out, but I agree.”

“On the plus side, being criminals automatically makes us at least 50% cooler.”

“Dude, aren’t you the one with anxiety?”

“I have my moments.”

A familiar knock rang on the door. How, in one week, it had become so familiar, they would never know. But as Alex told Reggie to come in, his infectious smile permeated through the room like the smell of vanilla on a cold day. 

“Did I hear something about treason?” he asked excitedly. “Because I am  _ always  _ down. Tell your friends; you need a treason buddy, I’m your guy. But of course, for legal reasons, that’s a joke.” Alex snorted. 

Reggie had managed to weasel his way into both his and Luke’s hearts in a matter of days. He was so sweet, so loving, and such a dork, how could he not? Luke’s interactions with Reggie reminded Alex of two best friends who supported each other unconditionally. Alex’s own interactions with the princess’s brother? They were more like bantering siblings who loved each other so much, but were not above toilet-papering the other’s room. 

“Well,” Luke began, “the arranged marriage was already a major fuck-up on the council’s decision. We  _ could  _ add in some treason to the mix. Just for funsies.”

“You just want to hang out with Julie, don’t you?” Alex prodded. Luke flushed, and Reggie grinned. 

“Called it.”

“Oh come on, you too?”

“Dude,” Reggie said. “I love you, but you’re not exactly subtle.” Luke pouted, and Alex cracked up. “You, on the other hand,” Reggie added, “I’m not sure who your treasonous crush is.”

“A baker named Willie,” Luke interjected before Alex could reply. “And I still haven’t heard the story of how you met, I might add.” Alex groaned.

“I assume there’s no way I’m getting out of this?”

“Not a chance,” Luke and Reggie replied in unison.

This was going to be a disaster.

…

After explaining the details of how he met Willie, and enduring multiple agonizing minutes of Reggie and Luke gushing about an “adorable, treasonous meet-cute,” Alex finally prodded Luke for details about his feelings for Julie. 

“Uh, well, it’s not really  _ feelings,  _ plus, I doubt Reggie wants to hear about hypothetical feelings someone might have for his sister.”

“Wrong,” Reggie said. “I want to know everything.” Alex laughed. 

“See, I  _ would  _ explain, but the self-defense class starts in a minute-”

“Thirty,” Reggie corrected.

“Like I said, it starts in a minute, so I’d better run.” Without another word, he bolted out the door.

“You can’t keep running from your feelings forever,” Alex called to Luke.

“No, but I can run from you two goons!” Alex and Reggie couldn’t contain their laughter by that point, so they let that simp of a man get out of it for a little while. 

…

After hanging out with Reggie in the recording studio, Alex was walking down the corridor behind the great hall, for old time’s (a week ago) sake, pacing back and forth. He didn’t actually know what he would do if someone asked why the prince was pacing the hallway near the kitchens for no apparent reason, but what happened was simultaneously both better and worse, because who would he run into (thankfully not literally this time) but a familiar brown-eyed man with a crooked smile. 

“Hey there, your royal pancakeness!” He called, and oh, how Alex wished Willie didn’t have such an endearing smile.

“Hey, Willie!” He ignored the butterflies rising in his stomach. “How’s it going?”

“Pretty good! Just got on break. You okay?” He asked, a flicker of concern in his eyes.

“Oh, yeah,” Alex assured him. “Just walking.”

“Cool.” 

Alex tried not to stare, but Willie made it impossible. The way he flipped his long hair, the way his dark eyes sparkled with flecks of gold in the light, how his smile lit up every time he spoke. The adorable smudge of flour on his nose didn’t help, either. 

“You sure?” Willie asked, the faint flicker of concern right back to the furrow in his eyebrows. “You look a little dazed.”

_ Yeah, that’s because you’re gorgeous and I already have a crush on you despite only meeting you once.  _

“Just a little tired, I guess.” The lie was a classic one, and Willie could surely see through the bullshit, but if he did, he didn’t prod. 

“Well, make sure you get some sleep tonight. In the meantime, I’m off to skate a little. You wanna come?”

Skating? There was a 100% chance that Alex would fall flat on his ass and humiliate himself. He’d never once been on a skateboard, at least, not since he’d sprained his wrist when he was seven, and his mother had banned all skateboards from the palace. And yet, the adorable look in Willie’s eyes still had Alex saying, “I’d love too.” He mentally kicked himself, but that annoyance was quickly replaced with another swarm of butterflies when Willie’s smile lit up even brighter than before. 

“Sick! Follow me.”

…

The skate park wasn’t technically a skate park by any means. It was an actual  _ park,  _ hidden away in the vast garden grounds of Dahlia, and it really said something about the size of the palace grounds that Alex didn’t even know it was there. 

Concrete sidewalks lined the perimeter, with swirling roundabouts at the corners, plus unoccupied metal benches and sliding railings that Willie didn’t hesitate to jump over. He even did a move where he jumped and the skateboard did a flip, before landing right back on it, steady as ever. But when Alex watched him let out a whoop and skate quickly around the roundabout as it sloped, not losing his balance once, he was sure Willie was just showing off. 

Alex did his best to cool his blushing face as Willie made his way back. 

“Want to try?” He asked.

“Oh, no,” he deflected. “I’ve never actually skateboarded before, and I’m pretty sure I’d just look stupid.”

“You’ve never skated before?”

“Not once.” He knew it was  _ technically  _ a lie, because he’d skated once when he was seven but that didn’t really count, but it still wasn’t true and what if Willie found out about the lie and hated him for being dishonest and what if he seemed like a bitch for lying about something so miniscule and-

“Well, there’s an easy way to fix that,” Willie said with a grin, making all of Alex’s previous anxieties melt away. They were, of course, quickly replaced with new ones because  _ cute boy,  _ but still. 

Before Alex knew it, Willie was extending his hand and stepping off the skateboard, that beautiful, crooked smile still plastered on his gorgeous face. And then, despite the voice in the back of his head, screaming to play it safe, he listened to the whisper, barely audible, telling him to go for it. So, before he could change his mind, he took Willie’s hand. It was rough and calloused, with a few scars peppered on his fingers, but it was perfect. Slowly, tentatively, he stepped onto the skateboard, and…

Immediately fell flat on his ass. Or, he would have, had Willie not been quicker and run behind him, catching him by the shoulders with a laugh. Alex’s cheeks did their best to catch fire, and he immediately apologized.

“No, bro, you’re good! Just glad I caught you,” Willie said. “You okay?” 

“Yeah,” Alex replied, only just noticing how long Willie’s eyelashes were. He wasn't sure if he imagined it when Willie’s cheeks looked darker the longer he stared. Alex cleared his throat. 

“Okay, let’s try this again.” Willie outstretched his hand again, and this time, Alex didn’t hesitate before taking it. He took a deep breath, grounding himself before stepping onto the skateboard, squeezing the other man’s hand and using him for support.

“I did it!” he exclaimed, very excitedly, considering all he’d done was step onto an immobile skateboard. But Willie shared his excitement. 

“Hell yeah, dude! Want me to push you so you move?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Understandable, have a nice day.” Alex and Willie stared at each other, deadpan, before bursting out laughing. But, because the universe hated him, Alex fell forwards, right on top of Willie, chests pressed together and noses barely apart.

He tried to move, but he was too caught up in how fucking close they were. Willie had caught himself, leaning backwards but standing, and somehow his arms had gotten wrapped around Alex’s waist, holding him tight. It was clearly just to make sure neither of them fell, but Alex couldn’t shake the feeling in his gut. 

Neither of them moved. Alex took a steadying breath, not looking away from Willie’s beautiful eyes. He cursed his stupid heart for fluttering, for suggesting treason because of a guy he’d just met, a guy with eyes so beautiful it should’ve been illegal, a guy with a perfect sense of humor, a guy who was so energetic and kind but also understanding, a guy who was now standing upright and steady, as was Alex, but who was still holding him close, arms wrapped around his waist. A guy who was surely just making sure he was still steady, but who looked at him with such intensity that it made him weak in the knees. 

Finally, he cleared his throat and stepped back. 

“Sorry, I kinda… Fell.” Willie gave that perfect laugh, and oh, if Alex wasn’t already smitten, he was now.

“Yeah, I caught that. No pun intended.” Alex let out an extremely undignified snort. 

“That,” he said through giggles, “was  _ so  _ bad.” When he looked up, Willie’s cheeks were red but he laughed too. 

Maybe treasonous feelings weren’t so bad. 

…

As he made his way up to his quarters, Alex flopped on his bed, a giddy grin still over his face. His cheeks hurt from smiling, but he just couldn’t stop. Willie was so… he didn’t even have the words. His laugh was like sunshine in the Summer, warm and bright and the source of all life in the world. His eyes were dark but somehow bright as well, and in the light they looked like bowls of honey as they twinkled. Everything about him was so  _ ethereal,  _ and Alex was completely gone on him. Which was, of course, extremely illegal, but he somehow couldn’t bring himself to care. 

As Luke walked in, the aroma of shampoo floating with him and giving away the fact that he’d just showered, he heard a laugh.

“How was your date?” Alex didn’t bother denying it.

“He tried to teach me how to skateboard,” he said, eyes dreamy as he remembered the fond look in Willie’s eyes as he’d fallen. “I almost fell but he-”

_ “No way.  _ Did he catch you?”

_ “Twice.”  _ Alex laughed when Luke squealed. 

“Well, dude, you know it’s your turn to ask him out, right?”

_ What? _

Alex bolted upright. “What do you mean?”

“I  _ know  _ you weren’t the one to ask him out today. That means it’s your turn to find him and ask him out for another little outing.”

“Fuck.” How the hell was he supposed to do that? He couldn’t just keep wandering the halls behind the kitchens, people would get suspicious. But… maybe he could find Willie again at the park. He’d seemed to know it well.

But what if that made him look creepy? That was Willie’s area that he’d brought Alex to, Alex was merely a guest in Willie’s beautiful domain, even if it was part of the palace. He still felt like he would be intruding. 

“I’ll let you deal with that,” Luke said with a laugh.

“Yeah. In the meantime, though, how was self-defense?” Luke had a dopey grin as soon as he thought. 

“Amazing.”

Alex listened to his best friend ramble on and on about how incredible it was, or rather,  _ she  _ was. Apparently, Julie had been instructed to go early, so Luke wasn’t able to avoid her. But it didn’t matter, because Alex got to hear his lovestruck best friend rant about how badass she was and how incredible their fights were when they sparred. 

A knock rang on the door. Alex cleared his throat, standing up. Luke straightened his back. When he shot Alex a look, Alex nodded.

“Come in.” As the handle turned, a pit in Alex’s stomach formed as King Ray Molina stepped through. He scrambled into a bow, as did Luke.

“Your majesty, is everything alright?”

“It’s okay, mijos, there’s no need to bow.” Alex stood straight again. “You are needed in the royal office. Well, technically only Alex, but Luke should come too. And put on something respectable but comfortable. It might be a long night.” With that, Ray left, leaving the two of them there.

A sinking pit in Alex’s stomach told him that something was very,  _ very  _ wrong. 

\-----

##  Luke POV

...

Laying on the floor with Alex was a daily occurrence. It truly was the best spot to have a crisis.

“Emotions are the bane of my existence,” Alex declared. Luke had to agree. “Like,” he continued, “how is it logical that a couple little zaps to the brain can make your stomach drop, or make your palms sweat, or even a week after something happened, still make you feel cold and warm at the same time?”

“Bro, I don’t know,” he agreed. “Like, one minute you’re fine, and the next you’re about to accidentally commit treason.” Alex let out a dry laugh.

“Tell me about it.” A few moments passed, and Luke stared at the ceiling. There were small knots in the gently stained wood planks, with no particular rhyme or reason. “Also, called it.”

“Wh-” Luke started, clearing his throat. “What do you mean, ‘called it?’”

“You like Julie?” Alex assumed. Luke fumbled for an answer that wouldn’t be treasonous. “I might’ve overthought every possible aspect of this, and your comment about accidental treason confirmed what I already thought.” Luke dragged a hand down his face and groaned. How obvious  _ was he?  _

“I barely know her,” he started, “but I’m already so… I don’t even know the word. Intrigued? Infatuated? In-something.”  _ In love, maybe. _

“I’m sorry,” he added after a moment.

“Why?”

“I can only imagine how much this must be on your anxiety, and this doesn’t help.” Luke mentally kicked himself for adding another worry onto his best friend’s anxiety.

“It doesn’t, but it’s not the first bit of accidental treason.” Luke took a moment to process that before bolting upright.

_ “No way,”  _ he said. “Who?” He ignored Alex’s blush. “Wait, let me get this straight. Well, gay. You’ve liked a guy for an entire week, and you  _ didn’t tell me?  _ This is a betrayal of our friendship!” How  _ dare  _ he? That was cruel. Luke could’ve been teasing him for  _ seven fucking days  _ and Alex had the gall to hide it?

The lion, the witch, and the audacity of this bitch.

“You say that as if you didn’t do the exact same thing,” Alex countered. Luke considered that for a moment. 

“Whatever. Okay, details.”

…

After hearing the adorable details of Alex’s meet-cute with Willie, Luke had officially decided he would be officiating their wedding. He could already see it. Of course, he didn’t have much time to imagine his best friend’s future husband, because soon Alex and Reggie were giving him shit for his “crush” on Julie, and he hightailed it out of there, deciding to go to self-defense early. He could just sit on the bench and wait, be free of anybody who would make his thoughts race-

But of course he couldn’t, because right there was Julie, walking into the arena. 

"Hey Luke!" She called with a wave.

"Hey, Julie, what’s up?” He dearly hoped he wasn't blushing.

“Not much,” she replied. “Just came early because Lady Athena wanted me to show the trainees my upside-down move.” She tightened her ponytail. “Why are you here? The main session doesn’t start for another thirty minutes.” Luke blushed, his stomach flipping. What if she thought he was annoying?

“Oh,” he said with a shy laugh. “Alex and Reggie were giving me shit for… something,” he explained, hoping she didn’t catch his slip, “and I decided to escape.” Julie nodded.

“That’s valid.” 

“Julie?” called Lady Athena. “You ready?”

“That's my cue,” she said with a smirk, hopping away and over to stand next to the coach. Luke couldn’t keep his eyes off her. The way she moved was ethereal, like a butterfly given human form. 

She began explaining her move to the trainees, who were all looking very confused, which Luke understood. It looked super complicated, and you would need some  _ serious  _ core strength to pull it off. But somehow she did it  _ in slow fucking motion.  _

He found himself migrating towards Julie’s friends, who thankfully greeted him with a smile.

Whispering introductions between them, he met Flynn (the girl with the braids), Carrie (Flynn’s girlfriend), and Mira (Julie’s lady-in-waiting). And as if Luke didn’t  _ already  _ have a healthy amount of fear and respect for the princess, she happened to surround herself with other badasses. 

Flynn had an air of confidence around her. The way she squared her shoulders as she walked made her long, dark braids sway behind her back, and the bold style she always had just added to the effect. Carrie, Flynn’s girlfriend, was proof that some people were born to be royal. Everything Carrie did and wore, no matter how simple - like her current athletic clothes - screamed  _ royalty,  _ even though she wasn’t technically royal. And Mira was kind and confident, but there was an air about her that told Luke,  _ this is a powerful woman.  _ Not that he was surprised; He’d seen her fights against Julie. 

But he just couldn’t take his eyes off of Julie. She moved so cleanly, never stumbling no matter how difficult the position must’ve been, and even as she held herself sideways on one arm and spun, she landed with uncanny grace. 

“Okay, Julie, why don’t you get some water, and we’ll do the demonstrations with opponents?” Lady Athena’s long ponytail swished as she walked towards her, and Luke blushed when Julie smiled. 

“Sounds good.” She spun on her heel, jogging to the group and catching Luke’s eye. He could’ve sworn her cheeks darkened, but then again, that move made for an intense workout. 

“Dude, I don’t know how you managed to do that spin in slow motion,” Mira told her. Julie laughed, and Luke had never heard a sound so beautiful.

“Practice and good core strength.” She sat down on the bench, Mira by her side. So he was right; core strength was a necessity. 

“Hey, uh, Julie?” asked Luke shyly. She was drinking water, so she hummed a questioning tone. Luke cleared his throat. “Would it be okay if I joined them and tried to learn the move?” he asked, gesturing his head to the group of preparing trainees. Julie put down her water bottle, smirking, and Luke felt his own smile rising, though he was also nervous. He wasn’t sure why. 

“Technically, you’re not a trainee.” Oh. That was why. Luke opened his mouth to apologize, before Julie cut him off. “ _ But,  _ you  _ could  _ be one of the demonstrative opponents if you want to,” she offered. “I’m supposed to show how the move works against different fighting styles, and I think a Tamborian fighting style would add some variety.” Luke grinned and nodded, hoping his cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. 

“Sounds good, boss.” That time he  _ did  _ see Julie blush, and couldn’t help but feel proud of himself. 

As Julie made her way over to the front of the mats, with Carrie by her side, he sat on the bench next to Mira, enchanted. Before they started their fight, though, Mira elbowed him in the ribs. When he glanced over, she didn’t say anything, but gave him a knowing smirk that made him flush. Was he really  _ that  _ obvious.

“What?”

“You’re not as subtle as you think,” she said. Luke stammered, trying to find an excuse. Mira laughed. 

“Don’t worry, dude. I’m not sure if they would exile me for saying this, but you guys would be cute together. Might be illegal, but then again, I’m always down for some treason.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, but he knew he was joking. Evidently, Mira did as well, because she snorted and went back to watching Julie and Carrie. 

Luke eagerly did the same, watching as Julie made the first move. Carrie hopped out of the way, striking and giving Julie and opportunity to lean forwards. The princess hopped and landed on her right hand, spinning and tripping Carrie. Luke didn’t pay attention to what she said, but was entranced by how she moved. He vaguely remembered something about a dancer. 

“That’s my cue,” Mira told him as Julie finished the round against Carrie. “See you later, lover boy.” Before Luke could come up with a comeback for Julie’s kind but blunt friend, she winked and walked away. 

As Julie fought Mira, she mentioned something about a ninja, as well as the way the word “lithe” sounded on her tongue. He watched as she danced around the other girl, twisting and tripping her before winning the fight. 

Flynn strutted over to Julie, a confident smirk on her face. She was catlike when she fought, something both Luke and Julie noticed, and he was very proud of himself for thinking of it as she pointed it out. 

“However,” Julie said as she made the final spin, pinning Flynn and grabbing her collar, “it turns out, cats don’t always land on their feet.”

Whoa. 

Not only was she a complete and utter badass, but she was good at bantering with her friends. Luke wasn’t sure why he loved that so much, but a grin broke out on his face, blushing as he caught Julie’s gaze. 

"Next,” Julie said, snapping Luke back to the present, “I'm going to fight with Luke. He's from Tambor, so this will be new." She nodded, and he obeyed, practically floating over to her. 

As Julie stepped into fighting position, Luke winked, quite pleased with himself for flustering her, then struck. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to get the upper hand. Julie took advantage of his opportunistic nature, when he left himself vulnerable as he attacked, she struck back with twice the confidence.

Soon, though, he tripped. As he lost his balance, Julie spun upside down and tripped him. Luke’s back hit the ground and he let out a gentle “oof,” but couldn’t recover before Julie was on top of him. Luke was extremely aware of the way her leg pinned his hips down to the mat, the way her shoulders moved as she breathed evenly but quickly, the way her hand curled into a fist as she grabbed his collar and pulled her other arm backwards to finish. He tried to move his arms, but the way she’d positioned her torso made it impossible for him to defend his head from her possible blow. He was completely at the mercy of this girl, trusting her not to strike with finality, but not trusting his own unruly heart to steady as he found himself lost in her eyes.

But then, because the universe hated him, Julie winked. His breath caught in his throat and he flushed bright red.

For a moment, the world seemed to still. Luke was acutely aware of the shine of her dark skin, the single loose curl by her ear, the confident smirk on her face. But just as quickly as it had happened, it was over. Julie got up, extending her arm, which Luke took. Everywhere her hand touched left tingles on his forearm.

“Nice job!” she told him. He rolled his eyes.

“Oh,  _ please,  _ I just got my ass kicked and you didn’t even break a sweat. _ ”  _ He rubbed the back of his neck. “I knew you were awesome, but I didn’t know you were a human  _ wrecking ball.”  _ Of course, when Julie blushed, he felt a surge of confidence and accomplishment.

“I- well, I don’t-”

“He’s right,” Carrie insisted. You were awesome.” Luke grinned and nodded, reaching over to high-five her. 

“Okay, trainees,” called Lady Athena. “Pair up and spar. If you want, spot the other and try the move. I’ll be hovering to make sure nobody gets hurt.” She clapped her hands with finality, and the trainees did as they were told. “The rest of you,” she added, directed at Luke and the Badasses, “practice while you can. Oh, Julie, I want you to practice with Luke today. See if you can work out some similarities and differences between Dahlian and Tamborian fighting styles.”

Oh.

Fuck.

How the hell was Luke going to survive sparring with Julie multiple times, purely for practice and not staged? He wouldn’t be able to go one minute without completely losing it every time she looked at him. 

Luke noticed Carrie, Mira, and Flynn all giving him a look that made him fidget. It turned out he was the opposite of subtle. And as Reggie walked towards them, a knowing smirk on his face as well, Luke knew he was dead. He quickly tried to compose himself.

“Alright, boss,” he said after a moment. “Ready to kick my ass?” Julie laughed, and Luke could’ve listened to that sound for the rest of his life.

“Let’s do it.”

Luke struck first, a playful grin on his face. Julie quickly deflected, twisting his arm and twirling behind him, causing Luke’s heart to flutter. It didn’t last long, though, because then she was shoving the backs of his knees and pinning him as he fell down, kneeling hunched over with her holding his wrists behind his back. 

“That’s one for me!” She laughed as he groaned.  _ Way to humiliate yourself, Patterson. _

“Damn, and to think I ever thought I was good at hand-to-hand.” Luke took her arm, letting her help him up. An idea formed in his head, a cruel one, but it would work. He had to quickly hide the grin on his face. “Wait, I want to try that spinny move thing.” As Julie stepped back. Luke smirked to himself, hopping forward and purposely falling during the spin. It wasn’t like he needed to  _ try  _ to fall, though; that move was impossible.

“Gah, my wrist!” He feigned injury, but his heart still fluttered as Julie rushed over to him. She  _ cared.  _

But, he couldn’t play nice. He grinned and quickly took her arm, pulling her down to the ground and flipping on top of her. Luke pinned her shoulders, shooting her a cocky grin, but ignoring the look on her face. It was so soft and surprised, but playful and… he daresay  _ impressed.  _

“And that’s one for  _ me.”  _

“That wouldn’t work in a real fight, you know,” she informed Luke as she rolled out from under him. She wasn’t humiliated, as far as he could tell, which was probably a good thing. Humiliating the heiress to the Dahlian throne wasn’t a great idea. But her cheeks were darkened with a blush, and she was certainly flustered. Luke patted himself on the back.

“Oh, I know,” he said calmly. “It’s just fun to annoy you.” He could’ve sworn she blushed even more, but she looked away too quickly for him to confirm.

“Alright, rematch,” she decided, her voice confident. Luke nodded, and Julie hopped into fighting position. Luke did the same, noting how adorable it was as she bounced on the balls of her feet, before striking. She moved quickly and unpredictably, but when Luke dodged a hit to his shoulder and she hopped forward, he knew what was coming. He leaned backwards and, as her legs swept underneath his ankles, he jumped and avoided the killer move. 

As he avoided her spin, he noticed Julie trying to recover as quickly as she could, but she stumbled, and Luke quickly took advantage of that. He grabbed her arm, spinning her around almost like a ballroom dance, and then holding her back against his chest, his arm pinning her shoulders. He felt his own heartbeat against her back, her rapid breathing making her shoulder blades prick his stomach. 

“I win,” he whispered, a grin on his face- one that was quickly replaced with a look of shock when Julie reached up and grabbed his wrist, leaning forwards and throwing him to the floor upside down. As his back hit the ground, he let out a soft “oof” and didn’t get the chance to move before Julie was on top of him, flattening her body over his to make sure he couldn’t move and pinning his shoulders with her forearm. He knew he’d lost the fight, but currently he was more interested in the quirked eyebrow on her face, the shine of sweat on her forehead, and how very close they were.

“Actually,  _ I  _ win.” 

… 

Luke stood in the shower, letting the cool water wash over him. He normally took warm showers, even after working out, but today he needed the familiar feeling of cold shivers down his spine. There was something about Julie that made him so warm, like he’d known her his whole life. Julie was like the feeling of a sip of warm cocoa on a winter day, like sunlight peeking over the mountaintops. She was intriguing, so complicated and layered, like a mystery that he desperately wanted to solve. Luke couldn’t piece together just  _ why  _ she had that effect on him, though he had a few ideas. 

Quickly drying himself off, he changed into a lightweight guard uniform. It was more of a casual suit than a uniform; the guardsmen dress codes in Dahlia weren’t nearly as strict as they were in Tambor. They were more focused on abilities rather than looking like  _ guards.  _ So long as you looked respectable, that was enough. 

The cool fabric of the white dress shirt felt good against his skin, and the heather grey vest was a light pressure, keeping him secure. The matching jacket was tailored to a slim fit, but, given that he was a guard, there were also sheaths built into the inside, with simple but deadly daggers within them. 

If he was being honest, Luke hated carrying weapons. He felt cool, sure, but he still hated it. No matter how well they were hidden - and well hidden they were; not even the outlines were visible from the outside - he always knew they were there. That, even though they should be safe, there was always a  _ possibility.  _ A possibility that he might end up using one of the cruel blades strapped to his chest.

…

When he walked into Alex’s room from his quarters across the hall, his best friend was sprawled out on his bed, a dopey grin spread across his face. Luke immediately knew he’d been with Willie. 

“How was your date?”

“He tried to teach me how to skateboard,” he said. Luke grinned to himself. That was the  _ cutest thing ever.  _ “I almost fell but he-” Luke gasped, knowing his best friend’s disaster-gay-levels well enough to know where this was going.

_ “No way.  _ Did he catch you?”

_ “Twice.”  _ Luke squealed, bringing his hands to his cheeks. Alex was getting a  _ classic  _ boyfriend meet-cute and pining stage. It was like something out of a romance novel.

“Well, dude, you know it’s your turn to ask him out, right?” Luke laughed, practically feeling Alex’s nervousness, which was confirmed when Alex bolted upright. 

“What do you mean?” Luke snorted. Dumbass.

“I  _ know  _ you weren’t the one to ask him out today. That means it’s your turn to find him and ask him out for another little outing.”

“Fuck.” Luke could see the thoughts running a million miles an hour in his friend’s head, and soon he would be spiraling into gay panic and anxiety.

“I’ll let you deal with that,” Luke said with a laugh.

“Yeah. In the meantime, though, how was self-defense?” Luke didn’t bother hiding the huge grin that spread across his face as he remembered his time with Julie.

“Amazing. I got there early since you and Reggie were being assholes-”

“Love you too.”

“-But it turned out she was there early  _ as well.  _ Well, her and her friends. She has this super badass move where she jumps and lands on  _ one fucking hand  _ and spins twice, tripping you backwards and then pinning you, and she was teaching it to the trainees. Holy fuck, Alex, I don’t know how she does it. And she did it in  _ slow motion!”  _ He raked a hand through his hair. “She was going to demonstrate the move in fights with Mira, Flynn, and Carrie, and I asked if I could join the trainees to learn the move, because of course I did, and then she said that I ‘technically wasn’t a trainee,’ but then offered to let me be one of the demonstrative opponents.”

“And I’m guessing that went well?”

“Yeah,” he said with a grin. “And then, when the trainees were practicing, Lady Athena paired us for the rest of the session, so I got to spar with her.”

“Oooooh!” Luke gave a light punch in mock offense, but he was still glowing. 

“Bro, she’s  _ amazing.”  _

“I can see that.” Luke ignored the shit-eating grin on Alex’s face.

A knock rang on the door, and Luke straightened, looking at Alex as he stood up.

“Come in.” When King Ray walked in, Luke hastily bowed.

“Your majesty, is everything alright?” Alex asked.

“It’s okay, mijos, there’s no need to bow. You are needed in the royal office. Well, technically only Alex, but Luke should come too.” Luke nodded as Ray looked at him. “And put on something respectable but comfortable. It might be a long night.” With that, Ray left, leaving the two of them there.

Something was wrong.

\-----

##  Reggie POV

...

Suit vest long abandoned, sleeves messily rolled up, Reggie fiddled with the stim toy in his pocket, humming to himself as he wandered the long expanse of the Dahlian palace gardens, letting the different scents envelop him. Sometimes this would’ve pushed him into sensory overload, with all of the overlapping smells from the flowers, the sound of chirping birds, bright sunlight, breeze and stim toy, but today it just felt right. He hummed a familiar melody to himself, trying to place it as he wandered, spinning around and occasionally dancing with his steps.

His lips moved to words before he knew it, and he was finally able to place the song: Wake Up. Julie had written it with Rose before she passed away. A sad smile quirked the corners of her mouth. It had been a few years since it happened, but a pang of grief still struck Reggie’s heart. He’d lived at the palace since he was nine, and Rose had become like a mother to him. For seven years she’d raised him like one of her own, a kind, gentle woman. She was the one who taught him to play the bass, too. 

Reggie missed her. But Julie looked just like her, and she was so strong, his chest still swelled with pride every time he looked at her. And her voice, her music, it was like Rose in every way, and yet so uniquely  _ Julie.  _

The lyrics to Wake Up were so inspirational that, even when humming to himself in the gardens, they still brought the familiar prickle of tears to his eyes.

_ Better wake those demons // Just look them in the eye // No reason not to try _

Those lines in particular were the most powerful to him. They were the lines that helped him confront his grief after Rose had passed away, and the ones that made his heart grow and ache every time Julie sang them. 

Reggie sighed, letting the memory of Rose wash over him, both melancholy and bright. Every step was filled with happiness and longing, but he knew that if it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t be the person he was today. He might’ve still lived in the palace with Julie, sure; it was Ray who had found him and taken him in. But Rose had guided his love for music with Julie. 

As he danced around the garden, a strong breeze whipped his hair. He noticed something flying towards him - a leaf, probably. But as he saw it flutter against the wind, he realized that it was a butterfly. 

Without thinking, he reached up, letting the butterfly stop against his palm. He shielded it from the wind with his other hand, letting it regain its balance. He giggled as it crawled across his finger, the faint tickling sensation like dandelion wisps on his nose in the Summer. Then, the butterfly took flight against the wind, this time able to push back and fly. 

…

Reggie, after finding his suit vest draped across a rosebush, wandered through the corridor to Alex’s room. He, Alex, and Luke had become close friends in the past week. Something about the three of them just clicked. 

He knocked on the door in a rhythmic pattern that matched with the song stuck in his head, sauntering in, the word  _ treason  _ filling his ears. A grin spread across his face; he knew exactly what the treason was.

“Did I hear something about treason?” he asked excitedly. “Because I am  _ always  _ down. Tell your friends; you need a treason buddy, I’m your guy. But of course, for legal reasons, that’s a joke.” He gave some finger guns when Alex snorted.

“Well,” Luke began, “the arranged marriage was already a major fuck-up on the council’s decision. We  _ could  _ add in some treason to the mix. Just for funsies.” Reggie nodded. He might’ve been seen as a goody-two-shoes to some people, but he wasn’t opposed to breaking some rules. 

“You just want to hang out with Julie, don’t you?” Alex asked. Luke flushed, and Reggie grinned. 

“Called it,” he said.

“Oh come on, you too?”

“Dude,” Reggie began. “I love you, but you’re not exactly subtle.” Luke pouted, and Alex cracked up. “You, on the other hand,” Reggie added, “I’m not sure who your treasonous crush is.” He knew Alex was gay, but there weren’t any guys he knew of that he would like. 

“A baker named Willie,” Luke interjected before Alex could reply. “And I still haven’t heard the story of how you met, I might add.” Alex groaned, and Reggie clapped. A  _ baker.  _ That was so cliche, but so adorable. He could already see the wedding.

“I assume there’s no way I’m getting out of this?”

“Not a chance,” Luke and Reggie replied in unison, and Reggie high-fived him without looking. Alex groaned.

“So, you remember the feast the night I got here? I was kinda overwhelmed so I stepped out the back door, and this guy just fuckin… Ran me over.” Reggie laughed. 

“He pancaked you!” 

“Exactly that. Anyway, that happened and I kinda froze because he was  _ really  _ cute. And eventually we were just… Chatting. And I can’t fucking get him out of my mind and now I’m royally fucked because this is treason.”

“Well, like I said, I’m always down for a little treason,” Reggie repeated. “And might I add,  _ that is adorable!!!”  _

“I know, right?” Luke asked, grinning at Reggie. He nodded enthusiastically. 

“It’s an adorable, treasonous meet-cute!!! I swear, this is like something out of a romance novel.”

“That’s what I thought!!!”

“You two are the worst,” Alex informed them.

“You love us,” Reggie said with a grin.

“Unfortunately.”

“Now, Luke. What’s this I hear about some more treasonous feelings for a certain Princess Julie Molina?” Reggie poked his friend in the ribs, laughing when his blush went all the way to his ears. 

“Uh, well, it’s not really  _ feelings,  _ plus, I doubt Reggie wants to hear about hypothetical feelings someone might have for his sister.”

“Wrong,” Reggie said. “I want to know everything.” There was  _ no  _ way he was getting away with crushing on his sister without Reggie doing some well-meaning meddling. He didn’t mind that Luke liked Julie, of course. He was a nice guy, and Julie clearly liked him as well. But, Luke was also one of his best friends, and therefore required to spill.

“See, I  _ would  _ explain, but the self-defense class starts in a minute-”

“Thirty,” Reggie corrected.

“Like I said, it starts in a minute, so I’d better run.” Without another word, he bolted out the door.

“You can’t keep running from your feelings forever,” Alex called to Luke.

“No, but I can run from you two goons!” Reggie cracked up, along with Alex. 

“Simp,” Reggie declared.

“Definitely.”

“Hey, you mentioned you play drums, right?”

“Yeah,” Alex said with a smile. “And you play… bass?”

“Yep! There’s a recording studio in the basement, you want to go play?”

“I’d love to! Luke keeps getting on my case because I tap on the desk when I’m working through sim files.” Reggie nodded. It was understandable for him as well; even though he wasn’t a drummer, he had ADHD, and sim files were such a pain. They were cool, sure; they were files in which you developed a country similar to Dahlia, and there were social issues, economic questions, political queries, all of which would affect how your practice country developed, even with the details of foreign relations. Reggie wasn’t bad at them, per se, but it was probably a good thing that he wasn’t becoming king. He always got distracted, and while he was quite good at it, especially diplomacy, it just wasn’t what he wanted to do. And it wasn’t a matter of ADHD, either. Julie had ADD. She was just better at it, maybe because she’d been raised for it since birth, and Reggie had lived here for a considerably short time compared to her. 

His most recent sim file was on economic development, concerning poverty, disproportionate wealth, and tax rates. Dahlian wealth was relatively evenly distributed; much better than  _ some  _ countries. But he just didn’t like the way the sim files were set up. 

…

“Dude, this is  _ sick!”  _ Alex’s enthusiasm was practically tangible, and Reggie smiled.

“I know, right? Just be careful not to touch the handshake prank things on the shelf,” he added, pointing to a small stash. “They’re Carlos’s. One time he added some static electricity and zapped me, and it felt just like the time I was fixing my amp in the rain.”

“You shouldn’t… Okay.” 

“Anyway, how do you like the drums?” Alex played a rhythm on the bass, snare, and hi-hat, grinning. 

“They’re awesome,” he decided. “In a lot better shape than my set back in Tambor. I’ve had them since I was seven, and they’re pretty beat-up.”

“Oof,” Reggie said. “These are a bit old, but none of us are any good at playing, so they’re just like new!” 

Reggie hopped across the room to grab his bass, strapping it around his shoulders and playing a riff. It started with a slide down the A string, and when he began adding more notes, Alex joined in with a rhythm. Reggie gasped.

“Alex, that sounds  _ perfect!”  _ When Alex gave him a confused look, Reggie realized he hadn’t given context. “Julie and I have been writing a song called Icarus, and trying to learn the drums to add in a beat, but that riff I was playing was the baseline for it, right? That beat you were just playing sounded  _ perfect.  _ Dude, we gotta get Jules in here later. She’s gonna be  _ pumped.”  _ Alex grinned.

“That sounds awesome, dude! What’s the song like?”

“It’s pretty upbeat,” Reggie started. “It’s got a sort of inspirational vibe to it. The guitar we’re trying to add has kind of a rock and roll sound, but not metal. I’m trying to figure out how to play it, but I always strum wrong since I’m so used to bass.” He laughed, remembering how he’d tried to strum with the outside of his index finger. 

“No way,” Alex said. Reggie gave him a confused look. “Luke plays guitar. He’s insane at it, too. What if the four of us played it? You on the bass, me on drums, Luke on guitar, and Julie on piano and vocals?”

“And you, Luke and I could be backup vocals! Alex, you’re a genius. We’ll be Julie’s Beyonce girls.”

“Yeah, okay.” Reggie grinned. This would be perfect. He just needed to get Julie and Julie’s Future Treasonous Boyfriend (Luke) to join them in the studio later. 

…

Self-defense was interesting to say the least. Reggie had the honor of watching his little sister teach a bunch of nervous trainees a move that, if he was being honest, was impossible to do for anybody  _ but  _ Julie. He only caught the last demonstrative round, though, which proved to be just as entertaining as watching her whole teaching session would be. 

Why? Well, because she was sparring with Luke. The tension was tangible as they ducked and dodged and struck, and as Julie ended up on top of him, his collar in her fist, a confident smirk on her face, Reggie grinned to himself at how oblivious they both were. They  _ oozed  _ chemistry. 

He approached as Lady Athena instructed the trainees to pair up and practice, and luckily caught the flustered and excited look on both Luke’s and Julie’s faces when Lady Athena paired them for sparring. He shot a knowing look at them as he paired with Mira to spar. 

They made idle conversation as they practiced, occasionally interrupted by a quick “duck” as the other sent a strike their way. 

“Did you know your sister was this oblivious?” Mira asked him. Reggie laughed. 

“Nope, though I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. She has a habit of ignoring things she doesn’t like, which probably includes treasonous emotions.” Mira laughed, and Reggie took advantage of it, flipping her over and pinning her, winning the match, laughing as she rolled her eyes but took his hand, pulling her up. 

“Believe me, I know,” Mira said. “She once got a sim file from a nearby sim country in her foreign relations packet that was questioning the ethics of her country on LGBTQ matters, and she just ignored it because it annoyed her.” Reggie snorted. That did sound like Julie. 

Twisting around Mira’s next attack, but quickly regretting it as she hooked her ankle around his knee, knocking him over and winning, Reggie wondered if he could somehow set them up.

“Hey, Mira?”

“Mhm?”

“You know how one of your jobs as Julie’s lady-in-waiting is to help arrange her outfits?” Mira nodded, a smirk growing on her face. 

“Say no more.” Reggie grinned. Reggie was his name, and meddling was his game. 

…

Reggie was working on a new riff for the bridge of Icarus when someone knocked on his door.

“Come in,” he called, still bent over his notebook, scrawling down notes as he hummed. 

“Hey, mijo?” Reggie whirled around to see Ray. He smiled. 

“Hi Ray! Everything okay?”

“Not exactly, but I’ll explain that later. We need you in the royal office. I’ve already been to see Julie, Luke, and Alex, they’re coming as well. Just… It might be a long night, so put on something respectable but comfortable.”

“Okay,” Reggie agreed, concerned. “Did something happen?” Ray bit his lip nervously and nodded, walking away without another word. 

\----- 

##  Willie POV

...

“Hey, Alyssa, how’s that dough looking?” Willie asked from across the kitchen, where he was gathering ingredients for the Hawaiian style shredded chicken. 

“Almost done rising,” she called back. “Probably needs about five more minutes.”

“Awesome, thanks!”

“Yep!”

Willie gathered the ingredients in his arms, doing his best not to poke his eye out with the leaves of the pineapple. As he reached his counter, he set down the huge fruit, spreading out the other ingredients, many of them spices. He grabbed a knife from the block behind him, chopping the leaves off of the pineapple, then spinning it as he scalped the rough, pointy skin off as well. He chopped the rest into small pieces and brought them to Alyssa, who was in front of a large slow cooker with chicken inside. He set the bowl down on the counter, nodding from her thanks and running back to the dough, separating and rolling it to create rolls, sticking them in the oven. 

“Willie, why don’t you go on break,” Lilian suggested. Willie jumped; Lilian walked silently, and she’d appeared right behind him. 

“You’ve been working really hard today,” she added. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good! Thanks.” It was the truth, he was fine. But he was working extra hard today because, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep Alex off his mind. He always worked best when he had something else to think about; the actions practically did themselves. He hadn’t even realized how much he was doing.

“I think I’ll take you up on that break,” he decided. “Be back in an hour or so?” Lilian nodded, patting his shoulder. 

“Relax, child.”

“Who are you calling ‘child?’” he asked. “You’re only twenty-five.” 

“And you’re nineteen. You’re a child.” Willie rolled his eyes but laughed. 

“See you later!”

… 

As he ran out the door, leaving his apron swinging on a hook, who would he see but Alex? A grin broke out on his face and, despite his better judgement, he called out to him (after he’d settled his blush, of course).

“Hey there, your royal pancakeness!” He called, butterflies rising in his stomach as Alex looked his way.

“Hey, Willie! How’s it going?”

“Pretty good! Just got on break. You okay?” He asked, noticing the nervousness in Alex’s (beautiful) eyes.

“Oh, yeah,” Alex assured him. “Just walking.”

“Cool.” He fixed his hair, flipping it away from his shoulders. “You sure? You look a little dazed.”

_ I am too, but that’s just because you’re adorable. _

“Just a little tired, I guess.” The lie was a classic one, and Willie saw right through it. He could tell that Alex didn’t want to talk about it, though so he left it alone. He always hated having people up in his business.

“Well, make sure you get some sleep tonight,” he told him. “In the meantime, I’m off to skate a little. You wanna come?” 

Willie wasn’t sure if Alex would say yes, no, or just walk away laughing. Skateboarding wasn’t something you would expect a prince to do. 

But then, Alex replied, “I’d love to,” and Willie’s grin stretched even wider, dearly hoping his cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.

“Sick! Follow me.”

He led Alex down the back of the corridor, thankful that Alex was behind him, because that meant he could let his gay panic show on his face without letting the person causing it know. His long hair blocked his jaw from view, as well, so he was confident that Alex was oblivious to the fact that Willie was currently aggressively mouthing  _ cute boy cute boy cute boy.  _

Willie took Alex’s hand, grinning when Alex smiled. He brought him out the back door, into the streaming sunlight and to the park in the gardens. Hardly anybody knew of its existence, which was just how Willie liked it. He’d been given permission to skate there, and never once had he seen another person there. Bringing Alex there felt strange, but right. This had become Willie’s area, where he would go to get away from people when he needed to, and now he was letting Alex in. He wasn’t quite sure what compelled him to do it, but he was glad he did. 

Willie shot him a glance, getting on the skateboard and flying down the sidewalks, jumping over metal rails and benches. He did a quick kickflip after he landed, skating back around the roundabout, his grin wide as ever as he made his way back to Alex.

“Want to try?”

“Oh, no,” Alex replied, “I’ve never actually skateboarded before, and I’m pretty sure I’d just look stupid.”

“You’ve never skated before?” Willie’s eyebrows knit together. He wasn’t necessarily  _ surprised,  _ given that Alex was a prince, but still, every boy he’d ever met had skateboarded. 

“Not once.” 

“Well, there’s an easy way to fix that,” Willie said with a grin, extending his hand as he stepped off the skateboard. His heart fluttered as Alex reluctantly took it, his hand cold but soft as he held on, stepping on. 

But before he could say anything, Alex was stepping onto it lopsidedly, and Willie instinctively ran around behind him, his hands bracing Alex’s shoulders as he fell. Willie had rather large hands, and as his thumbs stretched to his back, he felt Alex’s racing heartbeat. He knew it was because he’d almost fallen off of a skateboard, but he couldn’t help but grin.

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry,” Alex said. “I-

“No, bro, you’re good! Just glad I caught you,” Willie said. “You okay?” 

“Yeah,” Alex replied, and Willie tried (and failed) to calm his blush. He noticed a few freckles across Alex’s nose, barely there, like stars in the sky just after sunset. 

“Okay, let’s try this again.” Willie outstretched his hand again, and grinned when Alex took it, stepping on steadily, squeezing his hand. 

He liked this, holding hands with Alex. He could imagine doing this every day, casual affection, maybe playing with his hair- 

_ No.  _ He shoved those thoughts out of his head. Alex was in an arranged marriage. To get in the way of that would be treason. Plus, Willie didn’t even know if Alex  _ liked  _ guys. 

“I did it!” Alex exclaimed, a grin on his face as he stood on the skateboard. Willie broke out into a huge smile, his chest swelling with pride. Alex was a nerd, but he was his nerd. 

“Hell yeah, dude! Want me to push you so you move?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Understandable, have a nice day.” Willie and Alex both cracked up, tears in his eyes. But he heard wobbling, and soon he was catching Alex right in front of him as he fell. Willie leaned back, stopping himself from falling on his back, but the main thing on his mind was how close he and Alex were. Their chests were pressed together, and Willie could barely tell whose racing heartbeat was his. He was close enough to count Alex’s long eyelashes, close enough to...

It was a nice thought, but it would never happen. 

Willie’s arms were wrapped around Alex’s waist, holding him steady as he stood up straighter, but not letting go. He held his gaze, steadying his breath, lost in Alex’s eyes. They were a mixture of blue, green, and grey, light but mysterious and beautiful, like frost on a garden, twinkling in the moonlight. Without meaning to, his eyes flicked to Alex’s lips for a split second, and Willie could’ve sworn Alex’s did the same. 

Finally, Alex cleared his throat and stepped back. Willie wasn’t surprised, but he  _ was  _ disappointed. He liked holding Alex like that.

“Sorry, I kinda… Fell.” Willie cracked up at the bluntness.

“Yeah, I caught that. No pun intended.” He hated himself for the pun, but all of the hate was replaced with love when Alex let out a snort.

“That,” he said through giggles, “was  _ so  _ bad.” Willie blushed but laughed too, caught up in the mirth in Alex's eyes. He looked so young, laughing like this, free and happy. And when he’d finally composed himself, his cheeks were rosy from laughter, small lines around his eyes. 

It was official: Willie was smitten. 

\-----

##  Julie POV

...

Julie groaned. 

It had been an entire week, and all of her interactions with Luke were minimal and cordial, but there was something in his eyes that she couldn’t shake. Every time he bowed, his eyes would flick up to meet hers, every time he smiled, they would crinkle and smile with his lips. Julie couldn’t get rid of these stupid feelings, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how many times she told herself that she was literally about to commit treason every time she was tempted to act. 

“That’s the fourth time you’ve groaned in the past ten minutes,” Flynn pointed out. “Care to tell us what’s going on?”

“Jules, we  _ know  _ something’s wrong. You can try to hide it all you want, but that won’t change it.” Carrie examined her perfect nails, which were painted gold and shimmered in the light. 

“I don’t know,” she lied. Flynn and Carrie shared a look. 

“Alright, what’s his name?” Julie bolted upright from her spot on her bed, flushed.

“What do you mean?” Her two friends shared another look and laughed. 

“You’re a horrible liar,” Carrie told her, “you know that?” Julie groaned a fifth time.

“So I’ll ask again,” Flynn decided. “What’s his name?” When Julie stayed silent, she added, “dude. You know that if anyone’s down for a little treason, it’s us.” She wasn’t wrong, and Julie knew that. Flynn was ride-or-die, Carrie too. Neither of them would hesitate before committing war crimes if it meant helping Julie, and she didn’t take that for granted. She was still emotional about it, though.

“You know Alex’s guard, Luke?”

“The one who was showering you in compliments at self-defense last week?” Flynn asked, a shit-eating grin on her face. 

“He complimented me  _ once,  _ Flynn.” 

“Tell yourself whatever you need to.”

“I think I will.”

Carrie snorted. “Jules, you clearly like him. Make a move!”

“Carrie,” Julie said calmly. “I say this with love.  _ Are you out of your mind?”  _

“I mean, probably.” Flynn cracked up and Carrie’s perfect face had a smug little smile that pissed Julie off. She flopped back down. 

“This whole thing sucks.”

“You’re not wrong,” Flynn agreed, though she still had a grin on her face. “You know what would help?”

“Treason?” Carrie suggested. 

“Nope! Well, yes, but I was  _ going  _ to say getting ready for self-defense. Lady Athena wanted us to go early today, remember?” 

Unfortunately, Julie did remember, and she was dreading it. Lady Athena had asked if she could practice her upside-down move some more, and then show it to the training guards, plus a demonstrative spar with each of the other three girls to show how to use it against different fighting styles. 

Before she could respond, Mira walked in, piles of fabric in her arms. 

“Who’s ready to go?” She asked enthusiastically. “I just had these tailored,” she said, putting down the fabric, which turned out to be matching athletic clothes. Soft, high-waisted capris leggings, with matching tops that were slim-fitting and cropped at the ribs. The halter neckline was gentle and hemmed, nothing fancy or tied. 

“They should be nice and cool so you don’t get too sweaty,” Mira explained, “and they’re form-fitting to make movement easier.” She handed a set to Julie, violet in color. Carrie’s was hot pink, and Flynn’s was jade green. Mira wore a sky blue set. 

“Mira, have I mentioned that you’re the best lady-in-waiting  _ ever?”  _ Julie asked, a huge grin spreading on her face. 

“Not in the last five minutes.” 

…

As she walked into the training arena, flanked by Flynn, Mira, and Carrie, Julie pulled her hair into a ponytail, giving Lady Athena a grin. 

“Alright, ready to show these guys how it’s done?” she asked confidently, her bronze skin shimmering in the light. Julie nodded. Lady Athena patted Julie’s shoulder and turned back to the group of about twenty young people, ranging from about thirteen to twenty, of all genders. She scanned the eyes, recognizing some of them from her previous self-defense classes, before she stopped on a pair of hazel ones. 

Luke wasn’t with the group of trainees, rather standing on the sidelines. Without thinking, Julie approached him. 

“Hey Luke!” His cheeks flushed. 

“Hey, Julie, what’s up?”

“Not much,” she replied. “Just came early because Lady Athena wanted me to show the trainees my upside-down move.” She fidgeted, tightening her ponytail. “Why are you here? The main session doesn’t start for another thirty minutes.”

“Oh,” he said with a shy laugh. “Alex and Reggie were giving me shit for… something, and I decided to escape.” Julie caught his slip, but didn’t say anything.

“That’s valid.” 

“Julie?” Called Lady Athena. “You ready?”

“That’s my cue,” she said, hopping away and over to stand next to the coach. Her eyes travelled to Flynn, Carrie, and Mira, who were standing behind the eager trainees, all giving her The Look and glancing at Luke. Julie gave them a quick death stare, before going back to smiling at the trainees. 

“Okay, everyone,” Lady Athena called, quieting the chatter amongst the group. “Princess Julie is here to show us a new move she came up with. We haven’t come up for it yet, have we?”

“No, not yet,” Julie responded. “But I’m working on it. Oh, and you can all call me Julie.” 

“Right. So, Julie here is going to demonstrate the move, first on her own, then with a few other people she’s brought, to show how it works against different fighting styles. Julie?”

“Okay,” she said, clapping her hands nervously. “So, the first thing is knowing when to do it. You generally do it when your opponent has you in a position where you have to lean forward.” She demonstrated, bending a bit forward. “Then, you jump, land on your hand - and it’s important that it’s the hand that matches the direction you’re facing. If you lean forward to the right, your opponent’s left, you jump on your right hand, and vice versa. Then, you spin by using momentum in your hips. This is mostly to distract them. Then, after the initial spin, you spin again, but rather than upright, you bend your elbow, lean like  _ this-”  _ she went through the previous moves then leaned to the side, putting down her leg to hold herself in the same position- “and spin, swinging your legs behind your opponent’s ankles to trip them backwards.” She demonstrated that bit as well, as slow as she could while still doing it correctly. “Then once they’re down, you use your spinning momentum to get on top of them and finish the fight.”

As she stood back up, she noted the confused or scared looks on the trainees’ faces, as well as an approving smile from Lady Athena and silent applause from Flynn, Mira, and Carrie- and  _ Luke.  _ At some point during her demonstration, he’d made his way over to her friends, and they were quietly chatting as she moved. 

“That looks  _ really  _ hard,” one of the trainees piped up, “but  _ super  _ badass.” If there was a way to verbally keysmash, Julie did it.

“Thanks so much!!! Though I should tell you, the first time I did it was completely by accident, and I sprained my wrist doing the initial spin. Afterwards, the only reason I tried it again was because Flynn bet me I couldn’t.” She shot a glance at her best friend, and her smirk and nod make her laugh. “But eventually,” she continued, “Lady Athena saw me trying to do it and gave me some tips, and one thing led to another, and here we are.” 

After a few moments of stunned silence, Lady Athena spoke. 

“Okay, Julie, why don’t you get some water, and we’ll do the demonstrations with opponents?”

“Sounds good.” She spun on her heel, jogging over to her friends, ignoring the butterflies as she caught Luke’s eye. 

“Dude, I don’t know how you managed to do that spin in slow motion,” Mira told her. Julie laughed.

“Practice and good core strength.” She sat down on the bench, Mira by her side. 

“Hey, uh, Julie?” asked Luke. She was guzzling water, so she hummed a questioning tone. “Would it be okay if I joined them and tried to learn the move?” he asked, gesturing his head to the group of preparing trainees. Julie put down her water bottle, smirking, a sudden bubble of confidence welling up inside her.

“Technically, you’re not a trainee.  _ But,  _ you  _ could  _ be one of the demonstrative opponents if you want to,” she offered. “I’m supposed to show how the move works against different fighting styles, and I think a Tamborian fighting style would add some variety,” she reasoned, ignoring Carrie’s eyebrow wiggle from behind Luke. 

His cheeks flushed, but he nodded with a grin.

“Sounds good, boss.” Julie flushed at the nickname. 

…

As she sparred with Carrie, she spoke between her moves.

"See, Carrie fights like a dancer. She's graceful and quick-" she dodged a blow from the girl, taking the opportunity to jump on her hand and twist, spinning and quickly tripping Carrie- "but not quick enough. No opponent is going to expect you to pull a breakdancing move on them." As she got on top of Carrie, pressing her elbow across her shoulders and pinning her down, a grin spread across her face. 

Julie got up and extended her hand to Carrie, who took her forearm and Julie took hers, pulling her up. 

Mira was up next. She jumped into a fighting position, her flaming red hair swinging behind her. Julie smirked, making the first blow.

"Mira, on the other hand, fights like a ninja. She's lithe and graceful, but deadly." Julie leaned forward, spinning on her hand and tripping Mira, quickly pouncing over her to win, before helping her up again. Next, Flynn.

Flynn made the first move, striking near Julie's shoulder, she bolted out of the way, turning to strike back. 

"Flynn is catlike when she fights," Julie explained, dodging another blow. "She's light on her feet and quick, with amazing reflexes. However-" she jumped and spun on her hand, tripping Flynn and ending the fight- "it turns out, cats don't always land on their feet." She shot Flynn a wink. 

She glanced at Luke, whose cheeks were bright red, but he had a confident smile on his face. Julie grinned.

"Next I'm going to fight with Luke. He's from Tambor, so this will be new." She gestured with a quick nod for him to come over.

As Julie stepped into fighting position, Luke winked. Julie ignored the butterflies in her stomach, overwhelmed with confidence as Luke struck. She dodged and blocked, striking back any chance she had. 

Luke was surprisingly competent, but very opportunistic, which Julie took advantage of. As he lost his balance, she spun upside down and tripped him, quickly using her momentum to get on top of him, pinning his hips with her leg. She grabbed his collar and pulled her fist back in a final move, but froze. It was just training, after all. 

Now it was Julie's turn to wink, which seemed to fluster Luke even more. 

They stayed like that for a few seconds before Julie got up, outstretching her hand to Luke. He took her forearm and she took his, pulling him up. 

“Nice job!” she told him. 

“Oh,  _ please,  _ I just got my ass kicked and you didn’t even break a sweat. _ ”  _ Luke rubbed the back of his neck. “I knew you were awesome, but I didn’t know you were a human  _ wrecking ball.”  _ Julie flushed, stammering. 

“I- well, I don’t-”

“He’s right,” Carrie insisted. You were awesome.” And God, Julie wished Luke hadn’t grinned at Carrie’s agreement, because he had the cutest eyes ever. Honestly, it should’ve been illegal. Her first order of business when she was crowned queen would be to make it illegal to fluster her. 

“Okay, trainees,” called Lady Athena. “Pair up and spar. If you want, spot the other and try the move. I’ll be hovering to make sure nobody gets hurt.” She clapped her hands with finality, and the trainees did as they were told. “The rest of you,” she added, directed at Julie and her group, “practice while you can. Oh, Julie, I want you to practice with Luke today. See if you can work out some similarities and differences between Dahlian and Tamborian fighting styles.”

Julie nodded, ignoring the way her heart pounded, ignoring how Luke started fidgeting, and  _ especially  _ ignoring the incredibly annoying looks from Mira, Flynn, Carrie, and Reggie, who had just popped in to join. 

_ Digest those butterflies, Molina. D i g e s t t h e m.  _

“Alright, boss,” Luke said after a moment. “Ready to kick my ass?” Julie laughed. 

“Let’s do it.”

Luke struck first, a playful grin on his face. Julie quickly deflected, twisting his arm and twirling behind him, gently (since it was training, and he was cute) shoving the backs of his knees and pinning him as he fell down, kneeling hunched over with Julie holding his wrists behind his back. 

“That’s one for me!” She laughed as he groaned. 

“Damn, and to think I ever thought I was good at hand-to-hand,” he said with a grin. Julie blushed and helped him up. “Wait, I want to try that spinny move thing.” Julie stepped back, letting Luke jump onto his hand, but as soon as he spun, he fell.

“Gah, my wrist!” Julie rushed over to where Luke was now sitting, reaching out to help him-

Then, that little shit grinned and grabbed her arm, pulling her down and spinning on top of her, pinning her shoulders.

He shot her a cocky grin. “And that’s one for  _ me.”  _ Julie rolled her eyes, hating the way her heart was fluttering. 

“That wouldn’t work in a real fight, you know.” She rolled out from under him, fixing her hair. 

“Oh, I know,” he said in a relaxed manner. “It’s just fun to annoy you.” Julie’s stupid heart fluttered again, and she looked away, sure her face was on fire.

“Alright, rematch.” Luke nodded, and Julie hopped into fighting position. Luke did the same, and Julie didn’t hesitate to strike. She moved quickly, remembering her forms and the movements that Lady Athena had drilled into her since she could walk. She spun, aiming for Luke’s shoulder. When he leaned to the side to dodge, she jumped onto her hand, twirling and tripping him- 

Or, she tried to. 

Luke had completely jumped over her legs, anticipating the move. She really shouldn’t have been surprised, but it caught her off guard. She tried to recompose herself, but Luke was quicker than he looked, and had grabbed her arm, spinning her with her back against his chest and his forearm across her shoulders, pressing tight enough to prove that he’d won, but not as hard as he would’ve if it were a real fight. If it had been real, his arm would’ve been over her throat, anyways. Julie could feel his heartbeat between her shoulder blades, and it sent a shiver down her spine. 

“I win,” he said softly, but Julie could hear the shit-eating grin behind the words. She smirked to herself. No  _ way  _ was she going down that easy. 

Before Luke could move, she reached with her arm and grabbed his wrist from its place near her collarbone, bending forwards and throwing him over her shoulder. As his back hit the ground, she spun, pressing  _ her  _ forearm against his shoulders and flattening herself over him so he couldn’t move. 

“Actually,  _ I  _ win.” 

…

“Okay,” Flynn said after everyone had changed and gathered back in Julie’s room. “If you can’t tell by now that Luke is in love with you, I don’t know what else to do.”

“Flynn. He’s not in love with me, nor am I in love with him.” Flynn, Carrie, and Mira all shared a look and laughed. But before Julie could respond, a knock echoed on her door.

“Come in.” Julie smiled as her dad walked into her room. “Hey dad! Everything okay?” she asked when she noticed the crease between his eyebrows.

“Not exactly.” 

“Uh oh,” she replied, standing up. 

“We need you in the royal office.” Julie’s stomach dropped. “Your friends can come if they would like,” he added, shooting a kind but worried glance at Flynn, Mira, and Carrie, “but this is a tense situation, and they would be required to keep it all classified.”

“We can do that,” Carrie said, a single crease between her brows. Mira and Flynn nodded. Julie couldn’t shake the nervousness in her stomach.

“Did I do something?”

“No, no, don’t worry, mija. Está bien, it’s nothing that you did. But it’s not good. Just… put on something respectable but comfortable. It might be a long night.” He turned to walk out the door, but Julie grabbed his sleeve. 

“Papá, ¿qué pasó?” Ray sighed. 

“Do you remember Caleb Covington? He’s the king of Krypto.”

“Yeah, but it’s been awhile.” Ray sighed again, the crease between his eyebrows deepening.

“The kingdom of Krypto has declared war on Dahlia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is!!!! I hope you all enjoyed it! Please leave a comment if you did, and feel free to come harass me on tumblr at girlboss-molina. Also, if you have any theories for how this will pan out, don't hesitate to drop them!


	4. The Feminist Manifesto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> War meetings are already stressful, but this one is also full of pining and feminist rants. As Julie roasts the shit out of a sexist Councilman, Luke is respectfully simping. Reggie is as proud as ever of his badass little sister, meanwhile, Alex can't keep his mind off of a certain baker, a baker who is certain that his feelings are unrequited. Emotional turmoil, political agendas, and teenage disasters star heavily in this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright!!!! I know I already updated a few days ago, but this chapter practically wrote itself, and I crave validation. So, I'm gonna give the gays everything they want. 
> 
> Since Julie's POV was last in chapter 3 due to the cliffhanger format, I felt it was only fair to put hers first this time. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

\-----

##  Julie POV

...

Julie sat by her father’s side in the large, round table in the royal office. Her father’s personal desk was at the back of the room, but given that there were quite a few people, they’d opted to pull out the council’s table. Admittedly, it was quite crowded; The table was surrounded by herself, her father, Reggie, Luke, Alex, Erik, Flynn, Carrie, Mira, and the seven council members, one from each county in Dahlia. All sixteen people were placed in even intervals, but Julie’s leg still brushed her father’s given the close proximity. 

Tension weighed heavily on their shoulders, the silence deafening. They’d been sitting, whispering in hushed tones for nearly an hour, and the sun was setting outside the long windows. Julie furrowed her brow, trying to think of possible solutions to their… situation, fiddling with the hem of her long, silky, midnight blue dress. Ray sighed. 

“This is a horrible situation.” Murmurs of agreement sounded from around the table. 

“Why did they even declare war in the first place?” asked Councilwoman Mei Lin, her dark hair shining in the warm light from the lanterns on the walls. 

“Territorial disputes,” Ray replied. “As you know, Dahlia was originally a territory of Krypto, before their revolution in 1843. We declared independence, stating that the land and seas of Dahlia were henceforth free from Kryptonian rule. However, a subsection of the Kryptonian Constitution that wasn’t remembered until the declaration of independence from the Acacian Territory a few years ago, states that ‘ _ any and all declarations of independence must be approved by his majesty the King of Krypto, so to provide peaceful decisions of boundaries and leaderships.’  _ That article was instituted in 1809, predating the Dahlian revolution.

“Because of this, and the realization that, since the Dahlian revolution was not led solely by the Kryptonian king at that time, their current king, Caleb Covington, has declared that Dahlia has been impeding on Kryptonian sovereignty for over two centuries, and has declared that, should the kingdom of Dahlia not peacefully resign themselves to Krypto, they shall declare war and ‘reclaim their rightful land by force.’”

Julie had never seen her dad so stressed. Heartbroken, yes, but never this stressed. 

“That’s bullshit,” said Councilman Ryan. Julie recognized him as Nick’s father. “I’m sorry, but that’s bullshit. Dahlia fought for its independence, and we deserve to keep our own peace. That was hundreds of years in the past.”

“I agree,” Julie said. “Time moves on. We’ve been peaceful allies with Krypto for over a century, and they’ve never said anything about this until now. Why the sudden change?”

“King Covington ascended about five years ago,” Ray began. “We knew he’d made the decision to expand their military, but at the time they were in shallow conflict with the Republic of Isala, so that was a logical move. It appears, however, that Covington has had other plans.” 

“Is there any way we can get them to stop?” asked Alex. “There’ll be civil unrest in Krypto, for sure, since we’ve always been allies. Could that be an advantage?”

“It could,” Ray agreed, “but Krypto has always had relatively unstable relations with its citizens. It was one of the reasons Dahlia declared independence in the first place.”

“Is it still that bad?” Luke piped up. “I mean, it was over two hundred years ago that we became our own nation. Surely things have changed.”

“In some ways, they have,” Councilman Trevor - Carrie’s father - interjected. “And that’s great. But it hasn’t all been good. Civil rights have hardly gotten better.”

“It sounds like Krypto is going to war with  _ itself,”  _ Erik noted. Julie was surprised he was there; but then again, Mira had been allowed to come. “If the people are that unhappy with how they’re being governed, a rebellion will strike.”

“I suspect that’s an underlying motive for declaring war on us in the first place,” said Councilwoman Noah - Flynn’s mother - tersely. “I mean, if there is a larger crisis in their country, civil unrest and disobedience could conceivably go down, since everyone would be focused on the war.”

“That… might be a reason, yeah,” Councilman Richard admitted. 

“So why don’t we call for a diplomacy meeting?” Julie suggested, raising her voice over the hushed murmurs from everyone at the table. “We could meet with Covington and talk things out.” 

“Good idea, Julie,” Ray agreed. “In the meantime, I’m going to have some coffee brought up. Oh, Councilwoman Mei Lin, you prefer tea, correct?”

Julie opened up her pad and scrolled through her sim files, searching through the foreign relations packet for territorial disputes. Her eyes glazed as ske skimmed the words, searching for mentions of constitutional technicalities or revolutions, barely noticing when everybody got up to get their coffee or tea. 

A tap on her shoulder made her jump, but her heart both calmed and fluttered when she noticed that it was Luke.

“Julie? Are you okay?” he asked, a furrow of concern in his eyebrows. She sighed.

“I’m not  _ not  _ okay, I just… This is so horrible. It’s stressing me out, and I can only imagine how stressed my dad must be, and I’m going to have a huge responsibility in all of this since I’m going to be queen soon, and-”

“Whoa,” he said, placing his hands on her shoulders as he sat, turning his chair to face her. Julie was acutely aware of how warm his hands were on her skin, how he gently brushed the straps of her dress with his thumbs. She closed her eyes, hating how weak she felt. “Julie, I know you can do this. Yeah, it  _ really  _ sucks. If I could get you out of it, I would.” She opened her eyes, meeting his gaze, and finding nothing but utter sincerity. It made her heart flutter, the silk of her dress tingling on her back. 

“Thanks,” she said. “Want to get some coffee?” He nodded, a soft smile on his face that made Julie feel at ease, offering her his arm. She took it, leading him to where the coffee and tea had been set on a long table by the wall, giving a small smile to Alex as they passed him, who was quietly chatting with one of the bakers who’d brought up the coffee. 

She poured herself a steaming mug, stirring in a splash of milk. She glanced at Luke, finding the way he put a ton of sugar in it endearing. She quickly looked away, very aware of the fact that they weren’t alone; their friends, her father and brother, and all seven council members were also in the room. Granted, nobody was paying attention to them. They were talking idly amongst themselves, but the tension was palpable. 

As she and Luke walked wordlessly back to their seats - well, Julie’s seat, and Reggie’s seat that Luke was currently sitting in - they faced each other but didn’t speak. 

“Hey, Jules,” Alex said, walking up to them. “You alright?” Julie knew he knew the answer, given the sympathetic tilt of his head. 

“I’m okay,” she replied after a moment. “You?”

“Well, the anxiety isn’t a fan of it,” he quipped, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Same,” Reggie added, walking up behind Alex and putting an arm on his shoulder, his other hand holding a cup of coffee with so much milk it might not have even been coffee. “This is a  _ major  _ pain in the ass.” Julie nodded.  _ That it was.  _

Taking another sip of her coffee, she noticed Carrie walking to her.

“Hey,” she said. 

“Hey.” Neither of them said anything else, but Carrie wrapped her arm around Julie’s shoulder. Flynn joined with a hand on the same shoulder.

“So,” she said. “Any plans forming in that brain of yours?”

“Well, we need to start with a diplomacy meeting. Meet with Covington and try to work things out peacefully.”

“I agree,” Mira added from behind Carrie. Alex nodded.

“A peaceful route would be best.” 

“You know,” Julie said, “When I become queen, I’m keeping all of you around. I want to have my friends with me.” She took a sip of her coffee, smiling into her mug when they all nodded. 

“Bold of you to assume we would leave,” Flynn told her. “You can’t get rid of me that easily. I’m like the crazy glue of best friends.”

“That you are,” Julie agreed. “Which also means you are required to tell me if I got any coffee on my dress.” She twirled. Flynn gave her a once-over, flicking away a piece of dust on the strap, before shaking her head. 

“You’re good.”

“Okay,” Ray announced, some of the tension out of his voice. “Everyone back to your seats.” Everyone quickly took their places, the smell of coffee drifting around the table as everybody set down their mugs in front of them.

“Julie,” he continued, “what are your ideas?” She took a steadying breath. 

“Forget that,” Councilman Richard interrupted. “What we  _ should  _ be doing is rallying our forces.” People began speaking over each other, and soon it turned into a shouting match. Ray rubbed his temples, and soon, Julie had had enough.

_ “ENOUGH!”  _ she shouted, hitting her fist on the table. “Like I mentioned earlier, we should start with a diplomacy meeting with Covington. Either we meet with him in Krypto or invite him here. Then, we try to work things out peacefully-”

Councilman Richard stifled a laugh, and Julie shot him a glare. 

“Is something funny, Councilman?” 

“Well, I just find it odd that we’re asking  _ you  _ for advice on political matters, when just a moment ago you were unable to control yourself, and before that, you were discussing fashion with your friends. I suppose it’s to be expected with a girl, though.” Julie raised an eyebrow, anger rising in her chest.

"You think I'm incompetent,” she observed. “Not because I'm young, but because I'm a woman. You see my dress and think that I'm weak. What would your mother think? Your wife? Your sister? I doubt they would appreciate that remark. So,  _ Councilman,  _ let me tell you something.

“We compare women to black widows and vipers, call ships ‘she,’ and name war machines after women, but you're going to tell me it's not lady-like to yell, to take up space and fight, to demand respect, and be a leader? I’ve been raised for this my entire life,” Julie said, “and you’ve been in politics for how long? Four years? I’ve been doing this for four and a half  _ times  _ as long as you, and I’m not even half your age. But you have the  _ audacity  _ to say that I’m not qualified, purely because I’m a woman. I can  _ guarantee  _ you that humanity wouldn’t have survived this far without women’s intelligence, bravery, and nerve, so don't try to downplay my power.”

“Go  _ off!”  _ Flynn shouted, making another bubble of confidence swell in her chest. 

“I have a feeling your sexism is deeply rooted in insecurity and fragile masculinity. But that’s no excuse. So, my advice if you can’t let go of that would be to stay out of my way. Otherwise, you can swallow your pride, stop whining, and woman up.” 

Julie sat, taking a sip of her coffee and smoothing out her dress. Everyone was stunned silent, but a swell of confidence took place in her heart when she saw her father beaming with pride, along with all of her friends. Reggie nodded approvingly. Even Councilwoman Mei Lin, who was always a stickler for rules, was grinning. 

Councilman Richard, however, was pale as a sheet, lines of anger creasing his face. Julie raised an eyebrow, not smiling. 

“Well, I think that’s the end of that,” Councilwoman Noah said proudly. “Thank you, your highness.” Julie nodded to her, grinning when she saw Flynn giving her an excited thumbs up. And when she caught Luke’s eye, there was no way to miss the awe in his stare. His mouth was slightly open in shock, his cheeks red with a blush. Julie gave him a smile that he returned before looking away. 

“That settles it, then,” Ray said. “We’ll call for a diplomacy meeting with Covington, try to come to an agreement. In the meantime, though, everyone get some sleep. We’ll reconvene here tomorrow evening.” Julie kissed her dad on the cheek.

“Love you, Pap á.”

“Love you too, sweetie. Would you like to have dinner sent to your room?”

“Yes please,” she agreed, turning to her friends - including Luke, Alex, Erik, and Reggie. “Do you guys all want to have dinner in my room?” They all nodded.

“Yeah, that would be fun,” Alex said. Ray clapped.

“Okay! I’ll have them send it all up to your room, mija. I’m going to head to bed. Call me if you need anything.” 

“Will do. Sleep well.”

“You too. All of you. But feel free to hang out tonight,” he added. “I’m giving you the day off from lessons tomorrow. It’s a weekend, so there wouldn’t be many, but I think you all need a free day. Well, until tomorrow evening, when we have to go through this hell again.” Julie grinned, and felt Mira clap her shoulder.

“Thanks, Pap á!” He nodded.

“Of course.”

\-----

##  Alex POV

… 

_ War.  _

The word echoed throughout his head as Ray made the announcement, and suddenly the cushy chair at his place at the table in the royal office was like ice behind his back. He stiffened, hating the way the sound of the word twisted in his mind. His stomach dropped, and if it weren’t for Erik grabbing his hand to anchor him, he might’ve vomited all over the table, which would not have been good, given that he was there with fifteen other people, including all seven council members, and the king of Dahlia. 

He fought the rising panic attack, only because of the even higher anxiety of having a panic attack in front of so many important people. He choked down the rushing anxiety, closing his eyes and taking a breath. 

_ Inhale- 1, 2, 3, 4 _

_ Hold- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 _

_ Exhale- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 _

It helped more than he expected it to, and he was able to focus as Ray gave the rundown. 

Apparently, the new king of Krypto was what was scientifically known as a giant prick, and had a certain affinity for claiming territorial disputes with his allies. He also held a grudge, and given that the grudge had been diminished over two hundred years ago, Alex wasn’t keen on meeting the guy, unless it included smacking him upside the head. Particularly with a very smelly, very slimy fish. 

He’d asked if there was any way they could use the civil unrest in Krypto as an advantage to avoid the war, because it would just be more strife, but Councilwoman Noah had pointed out that that might’ve been one of the reasons Covington had declared war in the first place: to distract the citizens from their own issues.

Alex silently cursed Covington for being such an insufferable bitch. 

When Ray called for a break, he let out a breath of relief to gather his thoughts. He wasn’t a huge fan of coffee, so he opted for a glass of water, but when he saw who was bringing it up, he froze.

There, in front of him, putting the coffee pots and tea bags along the table, was Willie, his hair tied up in a loose bun at the nape of his neck. Alex felt his cheeks heat up; Willie looked really good with his hair up. He quickly looked away, not even thinking as he poured himself a cup of coffee. He took a sip, scalding his tongue with the bitter drink, putting a splash of milk and some sugar in it to make it more tolerable.

He couldn’t stand this, though, so he turned.

“Hey, Willie!” Willie’s head snapped up, searching the room until he found him. His face broke out into a grin.

“Hey, Alex!” Alex walked to the corner of the room where Willie was, blushing at how he casually leaned against the wall. “Is everything okay? They hardly ever have meetings like this.”

“I… I don’t know if I’m allowed to say,” he admitted. “I’m sorry, I-”

“Don’t worry, man! You’re all good,” Willie assured him. “I know some things have to stay classified.” Alex nodded gratefully, trying to take another sip of his coffee and grimacing. Willie giggled.

“Not a fan of coffee?”

“Not at all,” he confessed with an embarrassed laugh. Willie gave his perfect smile, brown eyes crinkling. “The only time I can tolerate it is iced, and even then I’m not a fan. I’m, like… shit, what’s the opposite of a fan?”

“A heat lamp?” Willie suggested.

“Yes. That.” Willie laughed again, and more butterflies rose in Alex’s stomach. He smiled, though.

“How has the rest of your day been?”

“Pretty good,” Willie replied. “I got to bake mini cupcakes, which was a lot of fun. Although, decorating them is much more difficult.” Alex could definitely see that; although, imagining Willie precisely decorating dozens of tiny pastries put a grin on his face. 

“What flavor are they?” he asked, still grinning like an idiot for some reason.

“Chocolate! They’re really nice and velvety, and the frosting is vanilla and raspberry. And there are these little dustings of raspberry sugar on top, and a mini hazelnut stick in the frosting. I think they look pretty cool, if I do say so myself.” Willie pulled out his phone, swiping to a picture, and he was right. Each one was precisely made, right down to the swirl of frosting.

“Dude, those are awesome,” Alex told him. “I never would’ve been able to get the frosting that even.” Willie giggled, sending another wave of adoration over Alex.

“It takes a lot of practice,” Willie admitted. “But on the plus side, any ones that you mess up go on the reject shelf in the refrigerator, and at the end of the day, we get to eat them. I’ve been known to frequently mess up the key lime tarts. Completely on accident, of course,” he added with mock seriousness. Alex giggled, unsure why the fact that Willie liked key lime tarts was so adorable. 

Alex felt Reggie’s eyes on him, but ignored him, as well as the blush on his cheeks. 

Willie inhaled to say something, but then sighed. “I should probably go,” he whispered. “You’ll be getting back to work soon.” Alex looked away, hoping he didn’t look as crestfallen as he felt. 

“Yeah, probably. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’ll see you around, your royal pancakeness.” Willie smiled with the nickname, but his signature smile didn’t reach his eyes. He hesitated, finally walking away. 

Alex wanted desperately to call him back.

He didn’t. 

…

There was a hollow ache in his chest for the rest of the night, until he got to witness his badass of a friend drag the  _ shit  _ out of a sexist councilman. Then, he was grinning from ear to ear, because he had more than an ounce of logic in his brain, and was capable of respecting women. How could he not? 

He didn’t say anything, letting Julie stand in all her glory as that sniveling excuse for a councilman was shell-shocked and shut up. 

They settled on a diplomacy meeting with Covington, and would reconvene tomorrow evening. Until then, Ray had given them the day off, as well as that night to hang out in Julie’s room. 

Following Julie up the stairs, Alex trailed his hands against the polished wood railing. His emotions were a mess of stress, anger, love, confusion, and fear. His feelings for Willie fought with his nervousness of quite literally committing treason, and the sense of impending doom from Covington’s declaration of war was weighing him down like a dumbbell on his back. 

Before he knew it, they were all in Julie’s room. All eight of them: Him, Julie, Luke, Reggie, Erik, Mira, Flynn, and Carrie. 

“Should I turn on a movie?” Julie asked? “Or do you guys just want to hang out?”

“I doubt I’ll be able to pay attention to a movie,” Mira admitted. 

“Same here,” added Erik. Luke and Carrie nodded. 

“Neither would I. So, group therapy it is,” Flynn said, flipping her braids. “Shit’s crazy.” Alex snorted.

“Understatement of the century.” He took off his suit vest, draping it over a chair and plopping down on the end of Julie’s bed. Luke did the same, rolling his sleeves. Reggie and Erik had long abandoned theirs’, and were sitting on the floor, staring into space. Alex watched as Julie kicked off her shoes, curling up against her bed on the floor next to Luke’s legs. Flynn was sitting on the armchair where he’d put his vest, Carrie curled up in her lap. Mira sat with her head near Julie, who was weaving her long, red hair into braids. 

A knock on the door snapped them all out of their daze.

“Come in,” Julie called. A butler walked in, pushing a cart with plates of Hawaiian chicken and rolls, as well as cutlery and glasses of water. Alex smiled. It smelled amazing. 

“Here you go, your highness,” he said to Julie.

“Thank you so much,” she replied. Everyone got up, and Alex took a plate, giving a smile to the butler as he sat back down, on the floor this time, to be safe from possibly getting any on Julie’s bed. He set the plate on his lap, taking a bite of the sweet chicken, immediately tasting the pineapple. It was so warm and tasted like home, despite never living in the tropics. A smile spread on his face as he took a bite of the soft roll. 

Luke sank down next to him, followed by Julie and Mira. Flynn, Carrie, Reggie, and Erik all sat around them. Idle chatter spread around the group, talking about random nothings; Alex felt a sense of peace wash over him, which was odd given the situation. But he relished it. 

“What should we do tomorrow?” he asked. “Ray gave us the day off, so we should do something.”

“What if we went down to the city?” Julie suggested. 

“I’m pretty sure we’d draw a lot of attention,” Erik pointed out, “since you’re, you know, royalty?”

“We could make a game out of it!” Carrie set down her fork. “We put on regular civilian clothes and act as inconspicuous as possible, go to the mall, then see who people recognize first.”

“That could be fun,” Luke agreed. “Alex? Reg?” 

“I have been wanting to go down to the mall,” Reggie said. 

“So long as Covington doesn’t randomly appear to attack us,” Alex said dryly. Flynn laughed. 

“I think it sounds fun,” she said. “And we deserve a break to just be regular teenagers. 

“Amen to that,” Julie sighed. “The mall it is.” 

…

Soon, the only light in the room was from the moon, and at some point, they’d pulled a bunch of blankets and pillows to the floor. Alex was curled up next to Luke, his head on a squishy pillow. Luke’s arm was around Julie, which Alex was  _ not  _ going to interrupt. It was too cute. Reggie’s head was in Alex’s lap, and was curled around Erik, whose legs were tangled with Mira’s. Flynn and Carrie were cuddling, leaning against Julie’s side. There was warmth all around him, from the blankets, pillows, and people. 

Occasional whispers echoed through the dark, followed by giggles, like they were little kids at a sleepover. A wave of peace washed over Alex, slow and calming. He only wished Willie were there. He knew he couldn’t be; Willie was a baker, and probably wouldn’t be allowed. He had to be up early to work. Alex wished he didn’t, wished Willie could be at peace with them in this cuddle pile. 

“I like this,” whispered Erik. 

“Me too,” he agreed.

And it wasn’t a lie. 

Worries pounded in Alex’s head, but they were washed away by the rushing river of love he felt for his friends, even the ones he was still getting to know. He loved all of them. Julie, with her independent, kind personality, the way her eyes sparkled when she got excited. Luke, his dork of a best friend, who was absolutely gone for Julie, and was passionate about everything he loved. Reggie, who was a human cinnamon roll with an affinity for pizza, and one of the sweetest people to ever walk the Earth. Erik, who he’d known for a few months, who was quiet and loyal, but loving and bubbly. Mira, who was spunky and blunt, but kind and badass in every way. Flynn, who had a bold style and mannerism, right down to the flip of her braids, and Carrie, who was dramatic and excitable, musical and sweet like a strawberry in the Summer. 

Willie, who wasn’t with them, who he dearly wished was. Willie, with every flip of his long hair, the crinkle of his brown eyes when he laughed, his carefree nature that always surprised Alex. Willie, who he was hopelessly in love with. 

Alex knew that things were spiraling with the Krypto situation. But for once he didn’t care and, surrounded by the soft breathing of his friends, drifted into a dreamless sleep for the first time in years.

\-----

##  Luke POV

...

Luke hated this. 

He knew that moving to the Dahlian palace with Alex would involve more meetings, but he never thought there would be one this soon, or this nerve-racking. 

It wasn’t every day that a country declared war on one of their allies. 

He didn’t speak much during the meeting, but offered occasional ideas and questions. However, it seemed to be unanimously agreed upon that this Covington guy was a major dick. Luke had a very strong desire to find this guy and punch him for how much stress he was putting on Ray. 

And Julie.

She had a small crease between her eyebrows, and Luke would’ve called it adorable if it weren’t for the worry it represented. Her fingers tapped nervously on the desk and fiddled with the hem of her long, blue dress as she thought. And Luke had to look away when she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. She was so beautiful but so distressed, and she didn’t deserve it. 

When everyone got up to get their coffee, Luke did as well, but before he even got halfway to the table with the many pots of coffee and tea, he noticed Julie, still sitting at her space, now scrolling worriedly through her sim files. 

He gently tapped her shoulder. 

“Julie? Are you okay?” 

“I’m not  _ not  _ okay, I just…” she trailed off. “This is so horrible. It’s stressing me out, and I can only imagine how stressed my dad must be, and I’m going to have a huge responsibility in all of this since I’m going to be queen soon, and-”

“Whoa,” he said, cutting her off before she stressed herself out even more. He took a risk, placing his hands on her shoulders as he sat, turning his chair to face her. Her shoulders were cold, from the air or stress, he wasn’t sure. She closed her eyes tiredly. Luke swallowed, trying to find the right words to say. 

“Julie, I know you can do this,” he said, surprised by how much he meant the words. “Yeah, it  _ really  _ sucks. If I could get you out of it, I would.” It wasn’t a lie, either. 

“Thanks,” she said. “Want to get some coffee?” He nodded and smiled, offering her his arm. When she took it, he walked her over to the long table.

Luke always had a habit of putting a ton of sugar in his coffee. He knew he probably shouldn’t, but he hated how bitter it was black, and preferred the taste with sugar to milk. He noticed Julie watching him and blushed, hoping he wasn’t being judged. But she had a smile on her face, almost like she found it  _ cute.  _ Luke blushed even more, looking back to his coffee. 

He took a sip, smiling at the sweet taste and walking wordlessly back to the table with Julie. He sat in the same chair as before, which he remembered was technically Reggie’s, but it was right next to Julie’s, and he wanted to be next to her. Luke turned the chair closer to her. Neither of them spoke, but Julie’s eyes seemed to say thousands of words. He only wished he could decipher them. 

The rest of the meeting didn’t necessarily go smoothly, but Luke got to see a side to Julie he’d never seen before. He got a glimpse of the angry, passionate, fierce side, one that she channeled in self-defense but never fully showed. 

Until now. 

When Councilman Richard (who would henceforth be known as Councilman Dick) made a sexist remark about Julie being a woman, Luke’s hands curled into fists. He wanted to say something, but as he inhaled, Julie beat him to the punch.

"You think I'm incompetent,” she said. It wasn’t a question, but an observation. “Not because I'm young,” Julie continued, “but because I'm a woman. You see my dress and think that I'm weak. What would your mother think? Your wife? Your sister? I doubt they would appreciate that remark. So,  _ Councilman,  _ let me tell you something.

“We compare women to black widows and vipers, call ships ‘she,’ and name war machines after women, but you're going to tell me it's not lady-like to yell, to take up space and fight, to demand respect, and be a leader? I’ve been raised for this my entire life,” Julie pointed out, “and you’ve been in politics for how long? Four years? I’ve been doing this for four and a half  _ times  _ as long as you, and I’m not even half your age. But you have the audacity to say that I’m not qualified, purely because I’m a woman. I can  _ guarantee  _ you that humanity wouldn’t have survived this far without women’s intelligence, bravery, and nerve, so don't try to downplay my power.”

Flynn shouted, “go  _ off!”  _ and Luke nodded, an amazed grin on his face. Julie’s lips curved into a confident smile, but there was anger behind it. 

“I have a feeling your sexism is deeply rooted in insecurity and fragile masculinity. But that’s no excuse. So, my advice if you can’t let go of that would be to stay out of my way. Otherwise, you can swallow your pride, stop whining, and woman up.” 

As Julie sat, taking a sip of her coffee and smoothing out her dress, Luke was sure his face was on fire. 

_ Damn.  _

Every single word that Julie had said was improvised, and yet it held such a weight, every single sentence carefully crafted in that genius brain of hers. Luke had no doubt that her words could crush mountains, level forests, tame seas, or halt hurricanes in their path. Julie was  _ powerful.  _ Even without this speech he never doubted it, but it was just confirmed. She knew it, too; the line,  _ “I can guarantee you that humanity wouldn’t have survived this far without women’s intelligence, bravery, and nerve, so don't try to downplay my power,” _ came to mind. 

Everyone in the room was silent, save for Luke’s pounding heart. Councilman Dick looked like he was about to stroke out. But Ray had a huge smile on his face, one that Luke was sure he himself was mirroring. He noticed the other council members, especially Councilwoman Noah and Councilwoman Mei Lin, nodding approvingly. 

… 

They’d all decided to hang out with Julie in her room, and it really said something about the size of her bedroom that all eight of them - Julie, Luke, Alex, Reggie, Erik, Carrie, Flynn, and Mira - all fit easily. He wasn’t surprised; she  _ was  _ royalty, after all, but it felt like home. These seven people who he loved, all in the same room. 

They ate their dinner together, made plans to go down to the mall the next day, and chatted idly, catching up like any other teenagers. Luke knew none of them were actually “normal” teenagers, given their royal or almost-royal statuses, but at the end of the day, they were still themselves. They were all weird, funny, social teenagers who watched Netflix and ate too much junk food and got crushes, people who wanted to have semi-normal lives despite everything. And even on the brink of a war, Luke felt like they were achieving it. 

At some point during the evening, they’d pulled a ton of blankets and pillows from Julie’s bed and closet and all curled up in a giant cuddle pile. Luke’s back was pressed against Alex’s, his arm wrapped around Julie’s shoulders and hugging her close, her head resting on his chest. He dearly hoped she couldn’t hear his racing heart, but he also just didn’t care. He was with the people he loved (and cuddling with his crush) in comfortable, peaceful silence. 

Luke tried to sleep, he really did. But he just couldn’t. Despite the exhaustion and his unwillingness to move (which might’ve been in part from the comfort of the soft, pillowed floor and Julie in his arms), he couldn’t keep his eyes closed. But as he was surrounded by the slow, even breaths of his friends, he knew they were all asleep. 

All except for Julie, whose eyes reflected the moonlight. 

“Jules?” he whispered. Her eyes flicked up to his. “Are you alright?” 

“Can’t sleep,” she breathed. “You?”

“Me neither.”

“Are you uncomfortable? I can get more pillows, or-”

“No, no,” he assured her, a blush on his face that was thankfully masked by the darkness. “I’m okay, I promise. Are you uncomfortable?”

“No,” she admitted, leaning her head back on his chest. He felt his heart rate pick up and took a steadying breath, gently running his fingers through her curly hair, which she’d taken out of its braided ponytail. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cuddled closer, and Luke felt every inch of her on his chest, warm like the sunlight of Summer, but in the middle of the night with the cold beauty of the stars. 

“Are you scared?” she asked quietly.  _ Yes,  _ he wanted to say.  _ I’m terrified of what might happen if the diplomacy meeting doesn’t go well. Scared that I’ll lose you, or someone else I love.  _

“Yes,” he finally breathed, his heart flipping with the confession. “I’m scared of what will happen if the diplomacy meeting doesn’t go well. And I’m terrified I’ll lose someone. What if I lose Alex or Reggie? They’re my friends, and… you.” He didn’t want to call Julie his friend, even though that’s what they were. But he was worried she’d misunderstand it and be offended, so he added, “I don’t want to lose you.” The words were barely audible, a wisp of a breath in the wind, and he didn’t even think Julie had heard him, until she nodded.

“I don’t want to lose you, either.”

Luke wasn’t sure if he’d imagined the words, because soon, Julie was asleep. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, and soon he couldn’t keep himself from drifting off, lulled to sleep by her slow, even breathing.

\-----

##  Reggie POV

...

Reggie hated this feeling. He hated the way his anxiety built up in his chest, the way he couldn't fight it like he usually could, because he was quite literally surrounded by it. 

These meetings were always his least favorite parts of the month. Every month on the tenth, he, Julie, Ray, and the council members would have a meeting in the royal office to discuss current Dahlian affairs; politics, economics, foreign relations, environmental issues, etc. He was always able to get through them, though. 

But this? This was another matter entirely. Reggie had never been through a war. He was only nineteen. He’d hoped he’d never have to, either; but apparently, that was too much to ask for. Because now, now he was sitting in a room with fifteen others, all crowded around the same table. The presence of Julie by his side helped, though, as did Alex’s on his right, and Luke just past him. Even the occasional glances from Erik, Mira, Flynn, and Carrie helped. 

But that didn’t change the growing weight on his shoulders. 

Reggie clenched his hands into fists and let go, repeating the action. He tapped his fingers in patterns on his legs under the table, remembering the patterns Julie had shown him when he tried to learn the piano. It was just a few chords and melodies for Wake Up, but it soothed him. 

He didn’t speak much during the meeting, but he nearly lost his temper when Councilman Richard started saying sexist things. Reggie was always a very peaceful person, but he wouldn’t hesitate to throw hands with anyone who insulted his sister. Not that she needed the help, he had no doubt he could kick the councilman’s ass with one hand tied behind her back. 

And she did, but with words. After completely shutting him up, Reggie’s chest swelled with pride.  _ That was his sister.  _ He felt lucky to be part of the same family as her. Not only did she have the voice of an angel and the talent of a star, but she was a complete badass, with both words and self-defense. 

Admittedly, he had flinched when Julie shouted. His parents always fought and shouted at him, too. Every time someone raised their voice, he still had flashbacks to those days when he was still little, before he’d ran away and been taken in by Ray and Rose. 

It wasn’t as bad anymore, though, and he knew Julie would never do anything to hurt him. Plus, he got to hear her incredible speech against Councilman Richard (who he would only be referring to as ‘Councilman Dick’ from now on). 

“We compare women to black widows and vipers,” she’d said, “call ships ‘she,’ and name war machines after women, but you're going to tell me it's not lady-like to yell, to take up space and fight, to demand respect, and be a leader? I’ve been raised for this my entire life,” Julie reminded him. Reggie’s face was nothing but a grin, because  _ that  _ was his sister, that woman who really  _ had  _ been raised to be royal, the woman before him who was dragging the shit out of a sexist councilman, that woman was his sister, and he loved her more than anything under the sun. He wished Carlos was in the room for it. Even though he was only twelve, he would be just as proud as Reggie. 

Respecting women was a given in the Molina family. It should’ve just been common sense, and for most people in Dahlia, it was. But occasionally, some asswipe like Councilman Dick would appear. Of course, his sexist antics didn’t last long. He didn’t say a single word for the rest of the meeting after Julie’s outburst.

Soon, coffee had been brought up. Reggie liked coffee, contrary to popular belief. He had a habit, however, of adding a ton of milk to it. He still loved it, though. 

As he stirred his drink, he noticed Alex talking to the baker who’d brought up the coffee, a baker who he immediately knew was Willie, also known as the guy Alex was completely gone for. He smirked as he caught Alex’s eye, giving a not-so-subtle thumbs up. 

He leaned against the wall and sipped his coffee, hating how stressed Julie looked. He was going to comfort her, when he noticed Luke sitting in Reggie’s own chair, leaning forward and putting his hands on Julie’s shoulders. Reggie was more observant than people gave him credit for, so he noticed how Julie eased at his touch. 

He smiled and leaned back, letting the treasonous magic happen. 

Soon, Alex had wandered over to Julie and Luke, so Reggie followed.

“Hey, Jules,” Alex said, walking up to them. “You alright?” 

“I’m okay,” she replied. “You?”

“Well, the anxiety isn’t a fan of it”. 

“Same,” Reggie added, walking up behind Alex and putting an arm on his shoulder, his other hand holding his coffee. “This is a  _ major  _ pain in the ass.” 

Well, given that it was a war, it was more than just that. But, ever the optimist, Reggie hoped for the best. 

…

Hanging out with Julie and their friends just felt right. 

He’d long abandoned his suit vest, sinking down against the wall and staring into space, Erik beside him. Alex and Luke sat on the edge of Julie’s bed, Julie and Mira on the floor near them, Carrie on Flynn’s lap on one of the cushy chairs.

Reggie didn’t have much of an appetite, so he only ate a few bites of his dinner when it was brought up. The food was good, of course. It always was. He just had too much on his mind.

If their country actually went to war, what would happen? How many people would lose their lives? How many children? Would they ever recover, or would it turn into a global event that altered the course of history forever? Would Reggie himself be able to keep the people he loved safe? What if he lost Ray, Julie, or Carlos? Luke or Alex? 

He tore those thoughts from his head. He knew he wouldn’t get much sleep tonight anyway, but that certainly didn’t need to be tied with thoughts and fears about a war that he couldn’t do anything about at present. So, he did what he did best: thought about pizza. 

He was midway through his thoughts on what kind of pizza he wanted most at the moment when Alex brought up the fact that Ray had given them the next day off. Julie suggested going to the city.

“I’m pretty sure we’d draw a lot of attention,” Erik pointed out, “since you’re, you know, royalty?” Reggie grinned. He wasn’t wrong, but it could be fun. 

“We could make a game out of it!” Carrie set down her fork. “We put on regular civilian clothes and act as inconspicuous as possible, go to the mall, then see who people recognize first.”

“That could be fun,” Luke agreed. “Alex? Reg?” 

“I have been wanting to go down to the mall,” Reggie agreed. And he never got the chance to just be a normal teenager. 

“So long as Covington doesn’t randomly appear to attack us,” Alex said. He snorted. It had been a few years since he’d met Covington, but Reggie wouldn’t put it past him. He just had those vibes. 

…

At some point, their group had turned into a cuddle pile. Reggie couldn't sleep because of his thoughts rushing a million miles an hour, but he was comfortable. He felt safe and loved, his head in Alex’s lap, whose hand was in his hair. He was curled around Erik, who was small but radiated warmth, and his soft breathing was a gentle anchor that brought Reggie back to reality. It might’ve been tense at the moment, but it was also a reality where he was with his family.

Of course, he shouldn’t have been surprised that he wasn't the only one awake. Julie was always a night owl. 

He heard Luke’s voice whisper to her. He must've thought that he and Julie were the only ones awake. Reggie tried not to eavesdrop, he really did. But there was nothing else to listen to. To be fair, though, he only caught bits and pieces of their hushed conversation. Luke asking Julie if she was okay. Julie mumbling that she couldn’t sleep. Luke’s quiet confession that he didn’t want to lose her if the diplomacy meeting went south. 

Reggie kept his eyes shut, letting the words replay in his brain. Luke had separated Julie from “friends,” he realized. And Julie hadn’t debated. Pair that with his whispered “I don’t want to lose you,” and they were heartbreakingly beautiful words, aching with longing and fear. He hated what they were going through, hiding their feelings, even from one another, and now having to fear for their country on the brink of a war. Reggie wished he could snap his fingers and fix everything. 

\----- 

##  Willie POV

...

Willie practically danced back to the kitchens. After Alex had eventually left, leaving Willie with his own emotions, he’d had a huge grin on his face for an hour afterwards. He skated around the park a few more times, doing kickflips and jumping the benches, speeding around the roundabouts, never falling once. 

_ He’d gone on a semi-date with Alex.  _ It wasn’t technically a date, but it felt like one. Willie still felt the ghost of Alex’s hand in his, the pressure of him falling on his chest as Willie caught him, faces inches away, neither of them pulling apart. He remembered the patterns of the freckles on his nose, reminding him of the constellations he’d stared at so many times. He remembered the smell of roses, too. He wasn’t sure why, but he loved it. 

As he walked through the door, the smell of pineapples enveloped him. The slow cookers were almost done, and he caught Lilian’s eye. 

“Someone’s happy,” she observed with a sly smile. “Good break?”

“You could say that,” he agreed, humming to himself. 

“Uh huh,” she said. “What’s his name?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Lilian quirked an eyebrow, her smirk still smug as ever on her thin lips, but Willie ignored her. 

“We need a few dozen mini cupcakes for tonight’s dessert, lover boy,” she called as he walked away. “Work your magic.”

“Roger that.”

The shadow of a grin was on his face for the rest of the hour as he gathered the ingredients, whisking the flour, sugar, salt, cocoa powder, and baking soda. He also added a pinch of cinnamon, to add a little bit of depth. Whisking the eggs, his mind wandered to how it had felt to hold Alex. He could still feel his arms on his shoulders as he poured in the milk and melted butter, being careful not to scramble the eggs. As he mixed the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, he wondered if Alex felt the same way about Willie as he did him. It wasn’t impossible, he supposed. Alex definitely had a queer vibe to him. But even on the off chance that he did, there was no way he would act on it. It would quite literally get both of them exiled. 

It was a nice thought, though. 

…

“Hey, Willie?” Lilian tapped his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, but could you be on coffee duty for the royal office? They’re having a meeting about something important and it might go late. You won’t have to be up there late, though,” she added, “you just need to bring up some coffee and tea.”

“Yeah, sure thing! Which tea should I grab?”

“I believe he said jasmine, but grab some oolong to be safe.” 

…

Willie knocked on the door, smiling when King Ray let him in. He began arranging the coffee pots at even intervals along the long table on the wall, as well as small pots of sugar, a kettle with hot water, tea bags, milk, and spoons. 

As he looked over his shoulder, his heart flipped when he saw Alex sitting at the round table. He quickly looked away despite his urge to say something; Lilian had said it was an important meeting, and she must’ve meant it, too. Alex, Princess Julie, King Ray, Prince Reggie, their acquaintances, and all seven council members were in attendance. 

He finished setting up the coffee, giving a cordial bow to King Ray as he got his, then lingering by the wall, clinging to a bit of hope that he could say hello to Alex.

His hope must’ve worked, though, because as he was turning to rearrange the sugars, he heard Alex’s familiar voice, and it sent butterflies whirling through his stomach. 

“Hey, Willie!” Willie grinned, searching for Alex until he saw a familiar sweep of blonde hair. 

“Hey, Alex! Is everything okay? They hardly ever have meetings like this.” He leaned against the wall as he spoke.

“I… I don’t know if I’m allowed to say,” Alex told him. “I’m sorry, I-”

“Don’t worry, man! You’re all good. I know some things have to stay classified.” He smiled when Alex nodded and took a sip of his coffee, and it morphed into a giggle when he grimaced.

“Not a fan of coffee?”

“Not at all,” he confessed with an embarrassed laugh. Willie grinned. Alex was  _ adorable.  _ He must’ve gotten a cup of coffee to look more mature around the others. Understandable, too; the king and council members certainly made for a formidable group. “The only time I can tolerate it is iced, and even then I’m not a fan. I’m, like… shit, what’s the opposite of a fan?”

“A heat lamp?” Willie suggested.

“Yes. That.” Willie laughed, ignoring the blush that he knew was rising on his face. 

“How has the rest of your day been?” Alex asked, and Willie grinned, irrationally happy that Alex wanted to know about his day.

“Pretty good! I got to bake mini cupcakes, which was a lot of fun. Although, decorating them is much more difficult.” He remembered just how many times he’d tried angling the hazelnut sticks so they were perfect.

“What flavor are they?” 

“Chocolate!” Willie couldn’t help the grin on his face. “They’re really nice and velvety, and the frosting is vanilla and raspberry. And there are these little dustings of raspberry sugar on top, and a mini hazelnut stick in the frosting. I think they look pretty cool, if I do say so myself.” He was so excited and proud of himself that he didn’t think twice about pulling his phone out of his pocket and swiping to a picture of the tiny treats.

“Dude, those are awesome,” Alex told him. “I never would’ve been able to get the frosting that even.” Willie giggled, hoping he wasn’t as red as he felt. It felt like a huge compliment.

“It takes a lot of practice,” he admitted. “But on the plus side, any ones that you mess up go on the reject shelf in the refrigerator, and at the end of the day, we get to eat them. I’ve been known to frequently mess up the key lime tarts. Completely on accident, of course,” he added with mock seriousness. Willie had always been a fan of key lime. He wasn’t sure why, either; it was never something he ate much growing up, and yet he couldn’t help but love it.

Willie inhaled to say something, but then sighed. The council members were rounding up again, and he had probably overstayed his welcome. “I should probably go,” he whispered. “You’ll be getting back to work soon.” Alex looked away. 

“Yeah, probably. Sorry.” Willie’s gut wrenched. It felt selfish, but he’d hoped Alex would try a little harder.

“It’s okay. I’ll see you around, your royal pancakeness.” He gave half a smile with the nickname, spinning on his heel as he walked out the door, not letting his facade break until he was all the way down the hall. 

He had the rest of the night off. He probably should’ve gone to bed, because he had to be up early to work the breakfast shift tomorrow, but he just couldn’t bring himself to care. 

He changed out of his uniform, pulling on a soft knit sweater that was too big, with sleeves that dangled around his hands. He didn’t bother brushing his hair after taking it out of its bun, running from his quarters out the back door, letting the cold embrace of the night envelop him. The air chilled his lungs as he slowed down, breathing heavily. Each breath hurt, like a needle stabbing into his chest, one that wouldn’t do any damage but still hurt like fire. 

He walked the rest of the way to his secluded park, not bothering to grab his skateboard from its hiding place underneath one of the bushes, opting to walk out into the middle of the neatly mowed field, sitting with his arms on his elbows as he stared at the grass in front of him. Each blade was so still, so peaceful, and the sweet scent of the flowers behind him taunted him, a constant reminder of the one person he knew he needed to get over, him and his roselike blush, his eyes that shifted from icy blue to spring green to steely grey, but were always just as warm. 

Willie knew he never had a chance. He wasn’t sure why he was so emotional all of a sudden; he’d always known it, but the reality of it was only just hitting, after seeing Alex as a prince, in a room with other royalty and nobility, he knew there was nothing to be done. He knew he’d have to force himself out of the valley he’d fallen into, climb out inch by inch, all the while being reminded of the one person he needed to forget. 

Before he knew it, he was crying. It started as small, quiet, traitorous tears that he wished he could hold back, leaving frigid streaks across his face. But soon they’d evolved into silent sobs that were as strong and emotional as a raging river, but silent as the dead of the night. He’d always been a quiet crier, but right now, it made him feel useless. Forgettable. He felt insignificant. He supposed he should get used to it. He was just a baker, one of dozens in the palace, who had the unfortunate luck of falling for a prince he’d never had a chance with. 

The sobs made his whole body shake with a passion that he couldn’t ignore. He trembled, clenching his hands into fists and biting his lip, hating how powerless he felt.

Every breath hurt, like someone had planted flowers in his lungs, flowers that should’ve been beautiful, but suffocated him instead. They were a cruel gift of painful love, these flowers; a symbol of hope that did nothing but kill. They encroached on every breath, growing and twisting and biting, stealing his air until there was no room in his lungs for anything but pain, nothing but pain and those wretched flowers. 

But really, what difference was there?

As his sobs slowed back to faint tears that left his eyes irritated, salty, and red, Willie laid down on the cold grass. Even in the late Summer, Dahlia was cold at night. Soon, frost would bloom in the shadows, crystals of ice would fall from the sky, and the flowers would freeze over, only to be reborn in the Spring. 

Willie stared at the sky, fading to midnight blue as the stars twinkled into sight, faint pinpricks of light. They might have been giant, flaming balls of hydrogen, but they were so distant, so cold. So cruel in their graceful, ruthless beauty. And as constellations formed in Willie’s mind, so did the memory of the freckles that dotted Alex’s face. So did the feeling of the connection he’d felt with the other man, beaming and bright, snuffed out by cruel chance. A chance he’d never even had. 

Even if Alex wasn’t part of an arranged marriage, what were the odds of him even liking Willie? How could he feel the same? Everything about him screamed  _ royal,  _ and yet he was human. He was personable, funny, and so beautifully  _ human  _ that Willie couldn’t handle it. He was incredible. Regal, kind, awkward, and yet he pulled it together so flawlessly. 

But as for Willie?

He was just a baker who’d never had a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we have it!!! Please leave a comment if you enjoyed this chapter. And as always, feel free to come harass me on Tumblr at girlboss-molina!


	5. Let's go Lesbians

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julie, Alex, Luke, Reggie, Carrie, Flynn, Mira, and Erik have a day off and go to the mall. However, even when they aren't looking for trouble, trouble always seems to find them. Meanwhile, Willie has his italicized 'oh' moment. And he's not as subtle as he seems, but thankfully, Lilian is always down for some treason. 
> 
> In this chapter, mall shenanigans take place, simping levels are off the charts, and shit starts to get real with the Covington situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long!!! I hope you enjoy it, though. 
> 
> Also, side note: The phrase "Let's go, Lesbians" is barely relevant to the plot, but it was a funny chapter name, so you get to deal with it.

\-----

## Julie POV

...

Julie awoke with the sunrise barely peeking over the mountains into her window. The light didn’t hit her eyes, though, she woke of her own accord… wrapped in Luke’s arms, with her head on his chest. 

She could’ve stayed there forever. He was warm, and smelled sweet, like roses, honey, and something else she couldn’t place, but it reminded her of the forest. She had her arms wrapped around his waist, securely holding them together. She wasn’t tired at all, but she did _not_ want to move. She was too comfortable, and holding Luke close like this wasn’t something she might ever get to do again. 

She tilted her head, watching as the sunrise painted bands of gold and pink throughout the lightening sky, watching shadows move with the trees and mountains, watching the silhouettes of birds flocking from tree to tree, soaring through the light like dandelion wisps on the wind. A few cotton ball clouds graced the sky, like bits of cotton candy hung from the heavens. 

She shifted an inch more, freezing when she felt Luke jump. He blinked and looked around, finally catching her eyes. 

“Sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“No, it’s okay,” he replied, his cheeks pink in the sunlight. “Why are you up so early?” She shrugged.

“Just not tired, I guess.” He gave a sleepy smile that made Julie’s heart flutter. How _dare_ he be so cute? She didn’t move again, still laying next to him, one arm around his waist. He didn’t move either, seemingly content to hold her. Then, he hugged her closer, bringing his face to her hair. 

“Your hair smells nice,” he whispered. Julie giggled. _Dork._

She laid there for a few minutes longer, finally wiggling out of Luke’s arms and standing upright, doing her best not to trip over a blanket. Luke pouted, and she had to stifle a laugh in order not to wake up anyone else; All eight of them had fallen asleep, and aside from her and Luke, everyone else was still curled up in restful oblivion. 

“I’m gonna change,” she whispered, gesturing to her wrinkled dress. She’d forgotten to put on pajamas. “We’re still going to the mall later, right?” Luke nodded, and she smiled, stepping over Mira’s legs and Carrie and Flynn, who were snuggled up against each other, then silently padding to her huge walk-in closet and closing the door. 

She shed her dress, walking to the shelf and rack where she kept her normal, not so… _princessy_ clothes. She chose a pair of straight-leg plaid pants, bright yellow and black, and hooked a chain through the belt loops by her right hip. She also chose a white, slim-fitting crop top with a purple butterfly embroidered over her heart, paired with a distressed denim jacket that she left unbuttoned and hanging off one shoulder. She chose a pair of black Vans with a white stripe on the side, as well. 

Her signature necklaces still hung by her collar, and she left her normal earrings, as well as a faux helix. 

Walking back out of her closet and to her bathroom, she sat in front of the vanity, fixing her hair and tying it into a thick braid over her shoulder. She carefully painted some eyeliner into a wing on each eye, brushed mascara onto her lashes, and even dabbed on a bit of lip gloss. Then, she stood in front of her mirror, deciding she looked cute. 

She hopped back to her room, where Luke had sat up and was now looking at his phone. Julie caught his eye, smiling when he blushed. She was sure she was blushing as well, though, so she looked away, walking to the side of her bed where she’d left her phone, careful to dodge Erik’s arm, which was sprawled over Reggie. She grabbed her phone and sat down, scrolling through her notifications. She had a reminder from Duolingo to keep doing her French lessons (which, if she was being honest, she was not going to remember to do), a couple memes from Carlos, a few Instagram DMs, plus an email from the Dahlian Times, telling her that the combined story from them and the Tambor Times, with their photoshoots, had been a huge hit, and that if she wanted, they could hit up their connections with Vogue to get her a modeling job. She politely declined; Vogue wasn’t on her radar at the moment. 

What _was_ on her radar, however, was the fact that she would be going to the mall with her friends today. It was a thirty minute drive, and she didn’t want an escort. They could handle themselves; plus, it would make it a lot harder to avoid flocks of people. Julie knew that Alex wasn’t a great driver, nor was Flynn. She herself wasn’t bad, nor were Carrie or Mira. Reggie was probably the best driver out of all of them, which was surprising. And yet, every time she’d been in a car with him, he’d never missed a sign, never gone too fast, and always stayed in his lane. He wouldn’t want to be the one driving, though. And Julie didn’t know Erik’s driving skills very well, given that she didn’t know _him_ as well as she wanted to. They were friends, sure, but not as close as she was with the others. 

That left her, Luke, or Carrie; and there was no _way_ she would let Luke drive. She didn’t care how good of a driver he might’ve turned out to be, his vibes were way too chaotic. And Carrie might not mind driving, but Flynn would protest. So, Julie supposed she would drive, if the rest were okay with it. 

She heard Erik stir, followed by Carrie. 

“Morning,” she whispered. Carrie gave a smile; contrary to popular belief, she was a morning person. Erik seemed to be as well, because his eyes were bright as he grinned at her. 

“Hi, Julie,” he whispered back. “We’re still planning on going to the mall later, right?”

“As far as I know.” Luke nodded.

“I think it’ll be a lot of fun,” she remarked. “I haven’t been to the city in awhile.”

…

When they got to the mall, Julie pulled the large SUV into a parking space, very proud of how even she was. Everyone piled out of the car. 

As they reached the lobby, they decided to split into two groups since there were multiple places they wanted to go, and they would draw less attention than they would as a group of eight. It took a few minutes to settle on the groups, but they eventually decided that Julie, Alex, Carrie, and Flynn would be one group, and Erik, Luke, Reggie, and Mira would be the other. 

“Let’s meet at the food court for lunch at noon,” Julie said. 

“Sounds good to me,” Reggie agreed. 

Julie had to admit, she was a little disappointed that Luke hadn’t been put in her group. But, then again, she wasn’t sure she could handle it if he was; she’d be a blushing mess the entire time. However, when she saw the sad puppy eyes that Luke was giving her, she hoped they were because he wanted to be with her as well. 

As they went their separate ways, Alex led Julie, Carrie, and Flynn to one of the long aisles. 

“Where should we go first?” he asked, gesturing to all the different shops they could choose from. “Personally, I vote to go to Justice.” Julie couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not, but she laughed, and Carrie’s giggle-filled nodding, plus Flynn’s smiley eye-roll all convinced her. 

…

“Okay,” Alex said. “Be honest.” As he strutted out of the changing room, a pink crop top in place of the tee he’d been wearing, he struck a pose. “How do I look?” 

Julie laughed, clapping. 

“Almost ready for your Vogue shoot, I see,” she quipped. Alex flipped his hair. 

“Covington could never.” 

“Amen to that, sister,” Carrie said, walking up to him and spinning her finger. He twirled, and Carrie clapped. “It’s perfect. Now you just need a skirt to go with it.” Alex turned bright red, and Julie stifled a laugh, as did Flynn. But his smile never receded. 

After he’d changed back into his tee, and Carrie (lovingly) bullied him into buying it _(“You didn’t need to bully me, Carrie, I was going to buy it anyways!”),_ Julie wandered through the racks of sparkly clothes, letting the glitter blur in her eyes. A calm wave washed over her, and she basked in the euphoria of being in the mall with her friends. 

“Julie? Did you hear me?” Flynn asked. Julie snapped out of her daze, shaking her head. 

“Sorry, I zoned out.”

“I _said,_ we’re going to grab a snack at Cinnabon.” When Julie didn’t move, Flynn rolled her eyes and dragged her out of the store. 

Julie followed along, a grin on her face. She’d always loved Cinnabon. Every year on her birthday, her Tía Victoria would take her there in the morning, and there was nothing not to like. 

She noticed Alex slow, staring at someone walking away. From Julie’s view, she saw a top hat and a cloak, but they walked with a strange saunter, like they knew something nobody else did. 

“Alex, you coming?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, jogging back to them. “Sorry.”

…

After they’d all eaten their cinnamon rolls, they walked into a women’s apparel store that Julie couldn’t pronounce the name of, and Carrie immediately went to the business casual section. Flynn protested, but not _too_ hard, because Carrie had a sort of elegance to her that made even the most standard outfits seem ethereal. Julie and Alex wandered over there as well; Julie had been wanting a new suit. She only had one, and she was starting to outgrow it. 

She browsed through the racks of carefully hung jackets and pants, soon, finding one that she loved and rushing to the changing room to try it on. 

Underneath the jacket was a slim white dress shirt. The jacket was violet, and the sleeves reached perfectly to her wrists. The pants were white, slim cut but comfortable and professional. Julie left the top buttons of her shirt undone and didn’t fasten the jacket over her stomach, letting the _casual_ in business casual shine through. 

As she walked out of the changing room, Carrie gasped.

“Let’s _go,_ lesbians!” Julie stifled a laugh.

“I’m glad you like it!” Carrie rolled her eyes.

“Like it? Jules, if you don’t buy that, I will, and it will end up in your closet no matter what.” Julie blushed. 

“I think I'm going to buy it,” she agreed. 

“Alex! _There_ you are!” Luke’s voice made Julie’s head whip around. 

“Yeah? Is everything okay? I thought we were meeting for lunch in”- he pulled out his phone and checked the time -”half an hour.”

“No, we are, but we needed to find you and tell you about this _amazing_ prank we just pulled-” his voice trailed off as he looked at Julie. She looked back, her cheeks warm, but not as warm as he seemed to be. His blush stretched all the way down his neck. 

“We, uh…” he cleared his throat and looked back at Alex. Julie’s face might’ve caught fire, especially as Flynn elbowed her and gave her The Look.

“-Luke, I could’ve sworn we told you _no shenanigans_ before we separated!” Alex’s voice caught Julie’s attention. 

“Oh come _on,_ bro, it was one _singular_ shenanigan,” Reggie interjected. “Just one!” Alex sighed.

“Do I even _want_ to know?”

\-----

## Alex POV

… 

When Alex woke up, Julie, Luke, Carrie, Erik, and Reggie were already awake. It wasn’t that late, though; the sun had risen, and the clock on his phone read 08:11. He stretched, giving a quick “good morning” to his friends, before wandering down the hall to change into more casual clothes, after Julie had confirmed that they were still going to the mall.

He chose a pair of black shorts, vans, and a pale pink t-shirt, plus a fanny pack that he strapped across his chest to hold his epi-pen, inhaler, and wallet. 

As he walked back to Julie’s room, she was still laying on her bed, scrolling on her phone, and she and Luke kept shooting each other glances whenever the other looked away. It was adorable, to be honest. But they were both _so_ oblivious, it was almost painful to watch. Alex was positive he was the only one with a brain cell. 

Well, actually, that would be Flynn, Carrie, or Mira, _but,_ he got fourth place, which wasn’t bad. 

Alex gave Luke _The Look,_ glancing at Julie, then back to Luke, raising his eyebrows. He held his tongue, however much he wanted to blurt out that they were both stupid. 

…

As he got ready for breakfast, something inside of Alex clicked. He wanted to bring Willie to the mall today. It wouldn’t be like a date, of course, just a casual hangout with a friend whom he was mildly in love with, accompanied by seven other friends, one of whom he was supposed to be marrying, but didn’t want to. 

The usual. 

“Hey, Julie?” he asked, jogging up to her before they reached the great hall. “Would it be okay if I invite my friend to come to the mall with us?” He scratched the back of his neck, sure he was blushing. “I, well, I met him the first night I was here, and-” 

“Of course,” Julie said, giving him a knowing smirk. “Let your _friend”-_ she winked as she said it -”know that he’s welcome to hang out with us any time.” Alex grinned. That went… way better than he’d expected. Not that he’d expected it to go wrong, of course, but it was still comforting. 

He barely ate any of his breakfast, just enough so he wouldn’t be hungry when they left. Then, as soon as he was done, he walked out the back door of the great hall, turning to the kitchen doors. He allowed himself a few minutes to settle his nerves, and then knocked, disappointed when the person opening the door was a tall (seriously! He was almost six feet tall, and this woman had at least three inches on him), severe looking young woman instead of Willie. She gave him a smile, though, softening her harsh appearance. 

“Your highness, may I help you?”

“Hi, yeah. Sorry to disturb you, but I was looking for Willie?” The woman grinned. 

“I’m afraid you just missed him. He left on break about five minutes ago. Not sure where he is now.”

“Oh.”

“Sorry,” she said. “I’ll tell him you were looking for him the next time I see him, though.”

“Thank you, miss, uh…” 

“Lilian.”

“Awesome. Thank you, Lilian.”

“Of course.” She offered a kind smile and wave, though Alex definitely noted the quirk in her eyebrow. Was he really _that_ obvious? 

He gave a wave and walked away. He didn’t know where Willie would be, although he had a hunch. So, he followed his instincts and walked out the back door, breathing in the mild air as he turned and headed to the park where Willie had brought him for their not-date. 

Hey, maybe this would count for Luke’s trade-off thing about it being Alex’s turn to ask out Willie? Even though it hadn’t technically been a _date,_ it had kinda felt like one, which made Alex’s heart soar. And it only soared higher when he saw a familiar, brown-eyed baker skateboarding around one of the roundabouts. 

Alex considered calling out, but he didn’t have to. Willie saw him as he came around the bend. He grinned, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes. 

_Had Alex done something wrong?_ What if he’d freaked out Willie? What if he was annoying? What if-

“Hey there, your royal pancakeness!” Willie called, skating to a stop as Alex shoved down those anxieties. He had to be brave. 

“Hey, Willie,” he said. “So, um, I was wondering…” he took a breath, gathering his words and trying not to gay panic. “We’re going to the mall today, and I was wondering if you would want to come?” Willie’s smile _did_ reach his eyes that time, and it eased Alex’s nerves. But then, his face fell.

“I wish I could, man,” he said, “but I’m going to be working all day today. I’m really sorry.”

“No, no, that’s okay,” Alex assured him, despite the low feeling in his heart. He caught Willie’s gaze again, beautiful and deep, with flecks of gold in his warm eyes, and the emotions tangled in their depths were unreadable, but strong. Then again, Alex couldn’t piece together his own emotions warring inside his heart either, so he supposed it was normal. 

“Well,” he said awkwardly, “I guess I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah!” Willie said, a genuine grin on his face. They stood there for another moment, just comfortable in each others’ presence, before Willie’s phone beeped a timer. The baker sighed.

“That’s my cue. See you, Alex,” he said, sounding disappointed. Alex offered a weak smile and a wave as the baker walked away, staring at the grass, each individual blade flicking in the wind and making his eyes blur. 

…

Julie was the one driving to the mall, and Alex beat Reggie to the passenger’s seat. 

“Uh uh, cretins sit in the back,” he told him. Reggie pouted, but they all knew it was a joke. Besides, Alex wanted what little space he could get. 

He knew Willie wouldn’t lie about that. Even if he hadn’t wanted to go, he was too polite. So it didn’t make sense for Alex to be as upset as he was; it wasn’t even a big thing, for God’s sake! It was the mall! And it wouldn’t have even been a date, since there were seven other people there. 

He just wanted to spend time with Willie, didn’t he? He was such an idiot. Willie didn’t like Alex the way Alex liked him. And besides, it was quite literally treason. Willie had to know that. So, even on the off chance that he _did_ feel the same way, there was no way he would ever make a move, lest he have the desire to be exiled.

Alex sighed, but it was more of a groan. He was right back to considering his ingenious run-away-into-the-woods plan.

…

As he walked with Julie, Flynn, and Carrie, deciding to go into Justice, it was 99% because they all wanted to make fun of the store that they’d all loved when they were little (despite how much Flynn denied ever liking it). But, if he was being honest, Alex did kinda want to go. Even though it was mostly for elementary or middle-school-aged girls, the excess of sparkles and pink always made him smile. And if he’d once bought a small tube of lip gloss that tasted like strawberries, that was nobody’s business but his own. 

They were all bouncing around the circular racks, brushing the mesmerizing flippy sequin pillows back and forth, letting the glitter and bling spot their eyes, when Alex found a really cute pink crop top, _in his size._ It wasn’t something he would wear regularly, of course, but as he put it on in the changing room and sauntered out, he felt confident and comfortable with his friends. 

Of course, he was already planning on buying it and tucking it in the back of his closet, before a certain Carrie Wilson bullied him into doing it. He wasn’t sure what he expected from a mean lesbian with fashion sense, though. 

“Now you just need a skirt to go with it,” she informed him. Alex laughed, sure his face was bright red. He’d never worn a skirt before, and while he wasn’t _opposed_ to the idea, it wasn’t something anyone else could see. 

Ever.

They started making their way to Cinnabon, when Alex bumped shoulders with a tall man. 

“Hey-” he started, before being overwhelmed by confusion. He looked so familiar, with his piercing blue eyes, but his outfit was… strange, to say the least. He wore a black three-piece paired with a dark purple shirt, and a black cloak that sparkled violet on the inside. His head was adorned with a top hat, and the cold smirk he gave Alex sent chills down his spine. 

“Alex, you coming?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, jogging back towards Julie, Carrie, and Flynn. “Sorry.”

“You’re good,” they assured him, though they did seem confused and concerned. 

…

As Julie tried on a purple and white suit, Alex was well aware of the fierce blush on Luke’s face when he walked in, hoping to inform him of some dumbass shenanigan, but instead being flustered by one Julie Molina in a suit. It was understandable, though; If you were into girls, you automatically had a crush on Julie Molina. Especially if she was wearing a suit. Carrie agreed; as soon as she walked out, she’d excitedly thrown up her hands and said “let’s go, lesbians!”

Alex shot Luke a smirk, before remembering his friends’ dumbassery. 

“Oh my God, Luke, I could’ve sworn we told you _no shenanigans_ before we separated!” Alex rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to comprehend the amount of chaos that Luke, Reggie, Erik, and Mira could cause. 

“Oh come _on,_ bro, it was one _singular_ shenanigan,” Reggie interjected. “Just one!” Alex groaned.

“Do I even _want_ to know?”

“Of course you do!” Mira told him. So, Alex endured multiple minutes of her’s and Erik’s intertwining retellings of their infamous prank, which was something along the lines of them hiding in one of the giant store entrances at the front of the mall, then jumping out, pretending to be time travellers. 

“Whose idea was it to leave you four alone?”

“Yours.”

\-----

## Luke POV

...

Luke never remembered his dreams when he awoke, only tiny snippets and feelings that tied with them, but when he awoke that morning, he didn’t even remember _that._ He wasn’t sure if he even dreamed at all, though he was well-rested.

He woke up suddenly, when he felt something move on his chest. He inhaled, looking around, before realizing that it was Julie’s head shifting to look out her window and see the sunrise. He smiled sleepily. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Julie whispered softly. He grinned. 

“No, it’s okay,” he replied, caught up in the golden glow cast across her dark skin.. “Why are you up so early?” 

“Just not tired, I guess.” He smiled, letting her lay her head back down on his chest, then taking a risk and hugging her closer. She didn’t protest, which made Luke’s heart soar. He loved the feeling of floating when he held her, loved how her head fit perfectly in the crook of his shoulder, loved how well her body fit next to his as they cuddled. 

He leaned down, his nose in her curly hair.

“Your hair smells nice,” he whispered. Julie giggled.

They laid there for a few more minutes before Julie wiggled out from his arms. Luke let out a protestant groan, holding her tighter, and she giggled again.

“I’m gonna change,” she whispered, gesturing to her wrinkled dress. Luke pouted, which only made Julie smile. “We’re still going to the mall later, right?” He nodded, letting himself smile. He wasn’t _actually_ upset, though it _was_ a crime that he was being deprived of Julie Cuddles. 

Luke grabbed his phone from under his pillow where he’d left it, being careful not to disturb Alex, whose back was pressed against his. Alex’s parents were never very touchy, and paired with Alex’s anxiety, he was very touch starved, so there was no way Luke was going to interrupt any cuddles with his best friend. 

He scrolled through his feed, and found an article about the alleged budding romance between Princess Julie and Prince Alexander. He snorted. Did the Tambor Times have _no_ gaydar? It was kind of pathetic. 

As he scrolled through his news and the occasional meme, he caught a glimpse of a butterfly fluttering past Julie’s floor-to-ceiling windows. He smiled to himself as it flew against the wind. It reminded him of Julie, graceful but stubborn. 

When Julie walked back out, dressed in a slim white crop top and plaid pants, complete with a chain over her hip, he blushed. In his defense, she had a very different vibe in regular citizen clothes, though he supposed that was the point. Either way, though, she was still ethereally beautiful. 

He glanced away, hoping he wasn’t as red as he felt. Julie grinned - great, so she _had_ noticed his blush - and flopped above him on her bed, leaving the faint aroma of peaches and vanilla. 

…

Luke felt much more comfortable in his normal clothes - a sleeveless shirt, pants, and a chain - than he did in his regular, formal attire. He loved feeling fancy, sure, but dressing casually was a luxury in and of itself. 

He spent the entire car ride watching Julie from the right back seat, the way she furrowed her brow in traffic, how the light played off of her collarbone. She was breathtaking. 

When they got to the mall, they’d decided to split up into two separate groups to draw less attention; needless to say, Luke pouted when he wasn’t in Julie’s group. But, he got to hang with Reggie, and get to know Erik and Mira better. He’d already gotten a chaotic vibe from Mira, but he did _not_ expect Erik to be just as down for causing a little trouble. He’d seemed so chill and outspoken, but he had a ton of fun with their little time-travelling prank. 

But, as he was trying to explain their shenanigans - or, as Reggie decided, one _singular_ shenanigan - to Alex, he got distracted by a certain Julie Molina, who was checking out how she looked in a purple and white suit, which she’d left partially unbuttoned, showing her collarbone. Luke had never seen Julie wear a suit, and holy _shit._ It should’ve been illegal for someone to look that good. 

Julie caught his eye, and every instinct in his head told him _LOOK AWAY BEFORE SHE NOTICES YOU WERE STARING,_ but he just couldn’t. Julie’s cheeks flushed a bit, and Luke scratched the back of his neck, trying to remember what he was saying, finally saved by Alex ranting about how he’d thought he’d told them _no shenanigans._

“Okay,” Mira said when Luke finally tore his eyes away from Julie, “but consider: it was _really_ funny.” Alex rolled his eyes so hard he might’ve seen his own brain, and Luke laughed. 

“Relax, bro, it wasn’t that bad.”

“Yeah!” Erik agreed. “All we did was jump out and pretend we’d just time travelled from 1995!”

…

They ate their lunch in the food court afterwards, and Luke helped himself to a taco from Cafe Rio. 

“Dude,” Reggie said, “did you _seriously_ get a _taco_ rather than _pizza?”_

“I’m always a slut for Mexican food.” He’d said it with a straight face, but no sooner had the words left his mouth than the entire table erupted into laughter, including Julie, her cheeks flushed from laughing. Luke grinned and looked back to his food, suddenly very interested in the avocado on his tortilla. 

He finally looked up, tuning out Reggie and Erik’s intense conversation about Star Wars, when he saw a strange man staring at them from a few tables away. He looked vaguely familiar, but was so… _creepy_ that Luke couldn’t place him. He wore a top hat, dark three-piece, and a cloak that glittered violet on the inside, his eyes colder than ice. Luke held his stare, allowing his face to fall into a glare. The man stood, and Luke elbowed Alex, muttering “uh, guys,” as he walked towards them. 

Luke’s hand reached to his pocket, where he kept a pocket knife concealed. He didn’t pull it out, but kept his hands near the handle should worst come to worst. 

Julie looked at him, her brow furrowed before raising in… nervousness?

“Well, well,” the man said with a sly smile, “if it isn’t Princess Molina.” Julie stood, smoothing the front of her pants, and Luke noticed she squared her shoulders, not quavering as she stood her ground. 

“King Covington,” she said, and Luke’s stomach dropped. “To what do we owe the occasion?” She spoke the words sharply, bitingly, and it sent a shiver down Luke’s spine. 

“Well, I couldn’t pass up a chance to see my favorite princess and her… friends, now could I?” he asked, and Luke didn’t like the way he lingered on the word friends, especially when he caught his eye and furrowed his brow. 

“Nonetheless,” he continued, “I’m coming for this diplomacy meeting tonight! So exciting,” he said, readjusting his cloak. “Though I must say”- his voice became like poison -”I’m not sure what a diplomacy meeting has to do with impeding on Kryptonian sovereignty for over two centuries.”

“With all due respect,” Julie said, in a way that implied that the amount of ‘due respect’ was, in fact, none, “the kingdom of Dahlia has in no way impeded on the sovereignty of yours. We’ve been peaceful allies for a century.”

“Yes, well, I’d argue that certain friendships aren’t what they seem, hm?” he said, his eyes flickering to Alex, then Luke, before he looked back to Julie. “Nevertheless, we needn’t discuss this right now. You’re just teenagers! Go enjoy yourselves,” he told them. Luke’s fists curled. 

“Have you informed my father that you’re here so soon? We only decided on a diplomacy meeting last night.”

“Yes, he contacted me to tell me your idea last night. I decided to come as soon as I could, so we could get this over with and move on to your surrender,” he said, far too cheerily for the situation. “Ah,” he continued, “I’m afraid we’re drawing attention.” He pointed to multiple people staring and pointing confusedly. “As you were, your highness.”

Luke glanced back to Julie, who practically radiated stress. 

“Jules?” Flynn asked. “Are you okay?”

“Wonderful,” she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. 

…

After lunch, they’d decided to stick together, but despite that, the anxiety never quite left. 

Julie didn’t speak to anyone much until they left for the car, and when she sat in the driver’s seat but didn’t turn the key, Reggie offered to drive. She didn’t say anything as she nodded, trading seats with him. 

“Julie?” Erik asked, but she didn’t respond, just tucking her knees to her chest in the seat. Luke pulled out his phone, locking eyes with Flynn, who nodded concernedly. He opened up his messaging app and clicked on Julie’s contact. 

**_Me:_ ** _julie? i know you’re really stressed now but i wanted you to know that i’m here for you_

 **_Me:_ ** _and the rest of us are too_

Julie shifted, pulling out her phone, and Luke looked out the window, half-surprised when his phone buzzed.

 **_Julie:_ ** _Thanks, I appreciate it. I’m just scared. I already texted my dad to ask if he knew Covington was coming today, but he hasn’t responded. I get why he wouldn’t have told us if he knew, but still._

 **_Me:_ ** _i know what you mean. but i’m sure it’ll be fine_

 **_Julie:_ ** _Thanks for understanding. And yeah. I’m sure everything will be okay._

They didn’t text anymore through the drive. Luke stared out his window as Reggie steered them towards the palace, and none of them said a word as they went inside, passing by palace staff and giving cordial waves and bows. They all went to Julie’s room, and Luke sat in the same place he’d slept the night before. Julie immediately went back to her closet, and Luke barely registered the minute she must’ve taken to change out of her civilian clothes and touch up her hair and makeup. 

She didn’t smile as she walked out, dressed in her suit that she’d bought. 

“Covington isn’t going to get what he wants,” she announced to the group, all of whom were sitting silently around her room. “My dad texted me back. He said he was going to wait to tell us until we got back, because he only heard the news after we’d left.” That made sense to Luke. Ray was a kind man, and wouldn’t want to ruin their fun. 

“Is there any other news?” Alex asked worriedly. 

“Yes,” Julie said, her voice cold, confident, and smooth. “There will be an impromptu ball tonight. Covington is an extravagant man, so this will appeal to him. It will be us, my father, Carlos, the council, as well as Covington and representatives from Krypto, plus any members of the Dahlian Nobility who choose to attend. Mira, Erik, rather than being a lady-in-waiting or butler, you’ll be counted as Nobility. Not much of a change, since you’re both relatively used to just hanging with us. If anyone needs assistance, you can call for someone, but tonight, we’re all going to be united, none of us better than the other.

“Covington doesn’t get to show up this abruptly and claim we’ve impeded on Kryptonian sovereignty. So, we’re going to prove that he doesn’t own us.” A grin spread on Luke’s face. _That_ was the confidence he liked to see. 

“So,” she continued, a smirk on her face. “Take the afternoon to prepare. Instructions will be sent to your rooms, probably with my dad to check up on all of us. So get ready,” she said. “We have a ball to attend. And,” she added as everyone got up, “put on your dancing shoes.”

\-----

## Reggie POV

...

When Reggie fell asleep, his head on Alex’s lap and torso curled around Erik, he didn’t dream, which was odd. He was a very imaginative person, and couldn’t remember the last night he _hadn’t_ dreamed. He would’ve expected to have been horribly exhausted, but it was the best night’s sleep he’d gotten in awhile, despite the stressful situation. 

When he awoke, Erik had moved, having woken up an hour ago. Luke and Julie were also awake. 

Reggie stretched, rolling over. He didn’t try to go back to sleep, but he didn’t actually get up, either. 

This was alright.

…

As Reggie got dressed for the mall, he considered a few outfit variations, finally settling on a white tee, black leather jacket, distressed skinny jeans, and some nice shoes for a bit of flair. He gave himself finger guns in the mirror (his right as a dramatic bisexual) and sauntered back to Julie’s room before heading to the car. 

He scrambled for the passenger’s seat, but Alex beat him to it. 

“Cretins sit in the back,” he said. Reggie pouted, but also smiled. The backseat was always more fun in a crowded car. 

He hopped between Luke and Flynn, settling in and grabbing his phone, scrolling through an email from the Dahlian Times asking if he (and Julie) wanted to be put in line for a Vogue photoshoot. Julie had already declined, though, so he politely declined as well. 

The car ride wasn’t as chaotic as he’d expected, but it was still fun. He, Luke, and Flynn showed each other memes, whilst Mira, Erik, and Carrie chatted in the row behind them. 

…

“Alright, we should probably split into two groups,” Alex said. “That way we’ll draw less attention.” They all nodded, and Reggie tried to grab Alex, but he’d already gone with Julie, Flynn, and Carrie. So, Reggie got to hang with Luke, Erik, and Mira.

“We’re gonna cause some chaos, right?” Luke asked.

“100%.”

“Definitely.”

“Was that even a question?”

Reggie grinned, ideas already forming in his mind. He could just imagine the fun they would have if they… ooh, if they played hide and seek? In the _mall?_ The chaos would be incredible. And then they could get pizza at the food court for lunch, and-

“Brooooo,” Luke said, “follow us.” Reggie did, letting Luke lead him into a warehouse store. A huge grin spread on his face. These kinds of stores were always the best for causing chaos. If he released a herd of puppies? Iconic. 

Reggie tugged on Erik’s sleeve, and they all followed him behind a large tower of containers and baskets. As a few employees turned around the corner of their aisle, Reggie hissed instructions to Luke, Mira, and Erik, who all nodded enthusiastically. 

…

“Whoa,” Luke said as he popped out from behind the tower, right as the employees walked by. “How did we get here?” Reggie had to give him credit; he was a better actor than he’d thought. 

“Where is _here?”_ Mira asked. “Weren’t we just at the Blockbuster?” She turned to the employees, who were staring at them like they’d just grown horns. “Hi, uh, where is this?” 

“It’s the Container Store,” one of them said warily. 

_“Whoa,”_ Reggie said excitedly. “What is _that?”_ He pointed to a television screen that showed the cameras. “It looks like my TV at home but after getting squashed!”

“And the picture is so clear,” Erik pointed out. 

“Rad,” Luke breathed. “It’s like the future.” 

“Not the future,” the other employee countered amusedly. “It’s still 2021. It is the newest model, though.”

“Wh- 2021?” Mira asked, dumbfounded. “Has it been… 26 years? Have we been in those baskets for _26 years? HOW is that possible?”_

“I don’t know, bro,” Erik started, “but-”

“Ha, ha,” the first employee interjected, “very funny. The good ol’ time travel prank.”

“Bro, this isn’t a prank,” Reggie lied. “I literally have my blockbuster card right here!” He whipped it out of the pocket of his leather jacket, meriting an impressed look from Luke, and respective _how the fuck???_ looks from Mira and Erik. 

Reggie always came prepared, and that sometimes included the random Blockbuster card he’d found a few months back. 

… 

They pulled their schtick a few more times around the store, and one time, the employee had believed them to the very end. She freaked out because, in her words, _holy fuck time travellers,_ but she asked a lot of questions like “wait so how old _are_ you?” and “did you enjoy neon being a thing?” Reggie wanted to be friends with her, but she had to leave. 

As they wandered the mall in search of Julie’s group to inform them of their single shenanigan, Reggie resisted the urge to get a bunch of gumballs and shove them in his mouth. He needed his mouth for talking. And eating pizza. 

When they _finally_ found them, Julie was trying to figure out whether she was going to purchase the suit she was wearing, which was absolutely _gorgeous._ And Reggie noticed Luke immediately trail off when he saw her. Reggie elbowed him and quirked his eyebrow, offering a smirk that Luke didn’t even register. 

Simp. 

“-No, bro, it was _awesome,”_ Erik insisted as Alex reminded them that they weren’t supposed to do any shenanigans. 

“But it was one _singular_ shenanigan,” Reggie informed him. “One.”

“Still.”

“Okay, but consider,” Mira suggested, “it was really funny.” Alex pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. 

“Whose idea was it to leave you four alone?” 

“Yours,” Reggie added helpfully. 

“It wasn’t… okay.” 

As they made their way to the food court, Reggie didn’t hesitate to order pizza, with thin slices of pepperoni dotted on top. He _loved_ pizza. 

“Okay,” Erik said over his sub. “Star Wars. Thoughts?” Reggie nodded excitedly.

“Yes!!! The Millenium falcon has such a cool design, and even though it wasn’t the best for spatial usage and storage, it had a badass vibe, so it gets rights. Plus, it looks like a frisbee.”

“Right?” Erik agreed. “I just want to skip it over a giant lake like a rock.”

“You. You get it.”

“I know, I’m awesome. Favorite character?”

“Oooh, Han Solo for sure. He’s the best, I do not take criticism.” Erik snorted, and Reggie gasped in mock offense, but also not mock offense. 

“How does it feel to be wrong?” he asked. “Leia.” Reggie sighed.

“Leia is a badass, I agree, but Han Solo is just the best character.” 

“Okay. You’re wrong, but okay.” 

“Hey, don’t diss Solo!”

“I’m not dissing him! But Leia is just _better!”_ Erik took another bite of his sub, and Reggie huffed. 

“I’d agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong.” 

“You guys are both wrong,” Flynn informed them. “The best character, hands down, is Rey.” 

“New movies don’t get rights,” Reggie and Erik said in unison. They looked at each other, grinned, and Reggie reached across the table to give him a high five. 

“Solidarity.”

Reggie was about to reply, when he noticed a man walking towards them, a man in a top hat, three-piece, and cloak. 

Reggie recognized him immediately.

And he was walking to Julie. 

“Well, well,” the man said with a sly smile, “if it isn’t Princess Molina.” Julie stood confidently, and Reggie resisted the urge to stand and guard his sister. 

“King Covington. To what do we owe the occasion?” Julie’s words were cold, sharp, and sent a shiver down Reggie’s spine. He’d never heard her speak so coldly. 

“Well, I couldn’t pass up a chance to see my favorite princess and her… friends, now could I?” Covington lingered on the word ‘friends,’ glancing around the table, his eyes settling on Luke before he continued, each word making Reggie’s hands curl into fists. 

“Nonetheless, I’m coming for this diplomacy meeting tonight! So exciting. Though I must say”- his voice became like poison -”I’m not sure what a diplomacy meeting has to do with impeding on Kryptonian sovereignty for over two centuries.”

“With all due respect,” Julie said, in a way that implied that the amount of ‘due respect’ was, in fact, none, “the kingdom of Dahlia has in no way impeded on the sovereignty of yours. We’ve been peaceful allies for a century.” Reggie fought a grin. _That_ was his sister, that badass woman standing up to another royal was _his sister._

“Yes, well, I’d argue that certain friendships aren’t what they seem, hm?” he said, his eyes flickering to Alex, then Luke, before he looked back to Julie. “Nevertheless, we needn’t discuss this right now. You’re just teenagers! Go enjoy yourselves,” he told them. Reggie had a feeling he didn’t want them to just enjoy their teenage years. 

“Have you informed my father that you’re here so soon?” Julie shot back. “We only decided on a diplomacy meeting last night.”

“Yes, he contacted me to tell me your idea last night. I decided to come as soon as I could, so we could get this over with and move on to your surrender,” he said, far too cheerily for the situation. “Ah,” he continued, “I’m afraid we’re drawing attention. As you were, your highness.”

…

Reggie took Julie’s shoulder and helped her out of the driver’s seat when she froze, leading her around the front to the passenger’s seat. Wordlessly, he helped her down as she rubbed her temples, stressed and deep in thought and worry. 

He pulled out of the parking lot once everyone was buckled in, and nobody talked much. He noticed Julie on her phone, texting someone. Who, he wasn’t sure, he just hoped she was okay. She might’ve been in shock, but she wasn’t pale. She was just scared. And confused. Reggie understood; he was extremely confused as to why Caleb had come so soon. They were supposed to have tonight to contact him again and work out the details, weren’t they?

Reggie dragged a hand down his face as they waited at a red light, but the ride to the palace was quick after that. As he pulled into the huge garage, Julie seemed more alert, and she walked steadily back inside. He smiled to himself. 

As he made his way to Julie’s room, his hands clasped with MIra’s and Erik’s, Reggie offered his signature smile to anyone they passed, hoping he was convincing enough. 

As he sat, he wrapped an arm around Luke, hoping the touch was comforting. It seemed to be; Luke’s shoulders softened, and as Reggie reached across to give the same contact to Alex, the prince sighed and wrapped them in a hug as Julie went to her closet. Then, they sat, waiting. Julie was the boss. Even if she was one of the youngest, she was also the most qualified. 

When she walked out, her face was stone cold, confident, but not a trace of a smile.

She didn’t smile as she walked out, dressed in her suit that she’d bought. 

“Covington isn’t going to get what he wants,” she decided. “My dad texted me back. He said he was going to wait to tell us until we got back, because he only heard the news after we’d left.” Ah. Reggie understood; Ray never wanted people to be worried. 

“Is there any other news?” Alex asked worriedly. 

“Yes. There will be an impromptu ball tonight.” She smoothed her jacket around her waist. “Covington is an extravagant man, so this will appeal to him. It will be us, my father, Carlos, the council, as well as Covington and representatives from Krypto, plus any members of the Dahlian Nobility who choose to attend.”

Reggie planned for a crowded night. Not that it would be a problem; the ballroom was _huge._ Everyone would fit with room to spare.

“Mira, Erik,” Julie added, “rather than being a lady-in-waiting or butler, you’ll be counted as Nobility. Not much of a change, since you’re both relatively used to just hanging with us. If anyone needs assistance, you can call for someone, but tonight, we’re all going to be united, none of us better than the other.

“Covington doesn’t get to show up this abruptly and claim we’ve impeded on Kryptonian sovereignty. So, we’re going to prove that he doesn’t own us.” Reggie nodded, smiling, proud of his sister’s confidence. 

“So,” she continued, a smirk on her face, “take the afternoon to prepare. Instructions will be sent to your rooms, probably with my dad to check up on all of us. So get ready,” she said. “We have a ball to attend. And,” she added as everyone got up, flashing her most confident smirk yet, “put on your dancing shoes.”

\----- 

## Willie POV

...

Willie had finally gone back inside in the middle of the night, after his tears were dry and the stars left spots in his eyes. 

He snuck back into his quarters, falling on his bed and staring at the wall until his eyes glazed over, finally falling asleep, but the day came all too soon. He was exhausted; not the kind of exhausted where you yawn and doze off, but exhausted emotionally. He didn’t speak much throughout the day, and only felt better when Lilian gave him a break and he went skating. 

Then, when he turned around the bend, he saw Alex, and he couldn’t help but let his heart flutter and his face break out into a grin. But it wasn’t as full as it could be. Still, though, he was happy to see him. 

“Hey there, your royal pancakeness!” he called, skating towards him. 

“Hey, Willie! So, um, I was wondering…” he took a breath, and Willie wondered if he was okay. “We’re going to the mall today,” Alex explained, “and I was wondering if you would want to come?” He grinned. He would love to; and, this _kinda_ sounded like Alex asking him out. 

“I wish I could, man,” he said, “but I’m going to be working all day today. I’m really sorry.” Lilian had said that there was another meeting happening tonight, but they weren’t allowed to know what about. Only that King Ray had seemed stressed.

“No, no, that’s okay,” Alex assured him, and Willie’s emotions warred in his heart. Confliction toyed with anger, anxiety fought with love, happiness danced with melancholy. His eyes met Alex’s, blue in the light but with a silvery tint. 

“Well,” he said awkwardly, “I guess I’ll see you around?”

“Yeah!” Willie agreed. Neither of them moved, and Willie was okay with that. Alex seemed nervous but comfortable, which lifted his spirits. At least Alex didn’t dislike him. If he had, why would he invite him to hang out with him and his friends? Willie might never get to act on his feelings for the prince, but they could be friends.

And that was enough.

Willie inhaled to speak, but then his phone beeped, sounding the end of his half-hour break. He sighed.

“That’s my cue. See you, Alex,” he said. Alex offered a weak smile, and Willie tried to return it. Then, he kicked up his skateboard, jogging back towards the palace, stealing one last glance at Alex, who was still facing away, staring at the grass. But he did eventually look back, and Willie’s instincts told him to act as if nothing had happened. 

So, that’s exactly what he did.

He hated himself for it, but he really did have to get back, and he didn’t want to waste Alex’s time. 

…

“Hey, Willie,” Lilian called as he kneaded the dough he’d just finished making. “Prince Alexander came looking for you while you were on break, just thought I should let you know. Everything okay?” she asked, the subtle quirk of her eyebrow making Willie laugh. 

“Yeah, everything’s good,” Willie assured her. “Alex just had a question.” Lilian’s eyebrows shot up. 

“Well, it’s nice that you and _Alex_ are such good friends,” she prodded, a shit-eating grin on her face. Willie’s face flamed at his mistake; he’d referred to Alex as _Alex_ rather than _Prince Alexander._ Sometimes he cursed Lilian for being so perceptive. 

“You know,” she continued, “I’ve always hated the idea of an arranged marriage.” Willie’s stomach dropped, but a laugh bubbled in his throat. He wasn’t at all surprised that Lilian was pulling this move. 

“I have as well,” he agreed. “But we can’t get in the way,” he said pointedly. “It’s literally treason.” Lilian snorted. 

“As if you’ve ever cared about rules.” Willie stammered before she laughed. “Relax, child. I’m happy for you. And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” Willie blushed. 

“Uh huh, thanks,” he told her sarcastically. She clapped him on the back. 

“I’m here to help.” 

“Yeah, sure. Hey, have you actually confessed to _your_ crush yet?” he asked, and it was his turn to grin as Lilian stammered indignantly. 

“Ah,” he continued. “Still at the pining lesbians stage, I see. Hypocrisy at its _finest.”_ Lilian couldn’t get on him for crushing on Alex if she refused to woman up and ask out the girl she liked, one of the palace blacksmiths. Willie had met her once, and while Lilian might’ve been intimidating and tough and a million other things, but he knew her weakness: any time he mentioned the blacksmith, a petite woman with dark skin and short, curly hair, she got all blushy and told him to shut it. 

“Shut it, Wilbert,” she said. Willie burst out laughing. They all knew his full name was William, but whenever Lilian wanted to be mean, she would call him Wilbert. 

“Oh, so mean,” he said jokingly.

“I’m a lesbian, I get to be mean when I want to be.”

“Fair enough.” She playfully swatted his shoulder as he kneaded the dough, putting it in a bowl to rise. _Note to self,_ Willie thought, _the mean lesbian is, in fact, a simp._

While the dough rose, Willie stretched and started stirring together the ingredients for the cake he was making, adding his signature pinch of cinnamon to bring out the depth of the cocoa, but never tasting the batter. He never tasted batter or dough that had raw flour or eggs in it; he’d learned his lesson after getting salmonella from it when he was nine. Truth be told, salmonella could get fucked. But he still didn’t want to risk it, because it sucked. 

At some point, Lilian had stalked away and was preparing the roast, her sleeves rolled up. Willie grinned. She knew how to get her mind off of her crush when she needed to work. Willie, on the other hand, preferred to get lost in thought about something - or some _one_ \- as he baked. If he could get so lost in thought that he was almost dissociating, it would be like no time had passed, and everything would be done perfectly. So, he let his mind wander as he preheated the oven. 

He wondered what was happening tonight. There had already been a royal meeting last night, what could be so urgent to call another the day after? 

“Willie?” Lilian called. “I just got word from the king. Better make that a double batch of cake, at least. The king of Krypto is coming for an impromptu ball.” 

“Whoa,” he said, grabbing another bowl to make more batter. “Why?”

“He couldn’t say, but he seemed tense. Time to put those cake decorating skills to work.” Willie nodded, turning back to his bowl. 

A _ball?_ Willie remembered the last - and only - ball he’d ever attended. He’d attended as a chef, of course, but it was huge. Two and a half years ago, for Princess Julie’s sixteenth birthday. There had been people galore, dancing around the massive ballroom, eating treats he’d made (and complimenting him, allowing him to ride off of that serotonin for weeks), and chatting amongst themselves. 

He poured the cake batter into tins, different shapes for tiers, then shoved them in the oven, washed his hands, and put the risen dough in a loaf pan, sticking it in the other oven, which had already beeped to temperature. 

He wondered if he would get to go to the ball; it was impromptu, but still. He was one of the main bakers, so maybe he’d be allowed to serve some of the desserts and see the fancy lights and outfits. 

He’d never been a very fancy person himself, usually opting for shorts and a t-shirt or crop top, plus some funky socks and vans. But he wasn’t opposed to wearing a suit, he actually quite enjoyed these rare occasions in which he was able to dress up so fancy. 

Of course, he might’ve just wanted to use the ball as an excuse to see Alex. He wondered if Alex was at the mall at that very moment. Did he know about the ball? Was he excited, or nervous? And why was the king of Krypto coming for it? Was something happening?

And, most importantly: what was Covington’s opinion on red velvet mini cupcakes?

 _Better safe than sorry,_ Willie decided as he started making the batter. It was, admittedly, very similar to chocolate. However, a few ingredients gave it some extra flair, plus the deep maroon color that he enhanced with red dye. He shoved those into the oven as well, setting another timer and getting started on the cream cheese frosting. 

He remembered making this exact recipe of frosting when he was little, teaching his little sister, Eva, how to measure the ingredients. He remembered picking her up in his gangly twelve-year-old arms so she could reach the counter, laughing when she spilled powdered sugar all over the place. She would be twelve now; he couldn’t wait to visit her again. She and their mom lived near the eastern straits. It was a long drive, they lived at the southern end of them, but the palace, while slightly east, was also far north. But he had plans to visit them for a few days next month, and he was ecstatic. 

Memories of baking with his mom and Eva floated through his mind as he pulled the cakes out of the oven. Eva was always partial to anything strawberry flavored, while Willie had an affinity for key lime. His mom, though, loved chocolate. Willie did too, of course, but his mom’s smile any time he made chocolate cake was infectious. Her enthusiasm and excitement whenever he and Eva experimented with recipes, her laugh whenever they made a mess, even the long braid down her back, all of those memories flooded back to him. 

His family was always important to him. His mom and Eva, yes, but also the people he’d grown to love as his own. People like Lilian, or his childhood best friend who he still pestered over text, or his eighth grade science teacher who’d helped him when he came out. 

But one face floated through his head that confused and delighted him at the same time. 

Alex. 

He didn’t know if Alex even knew how to bake, much less why his face was appearing when Willie was thinking about his family, the people he cared most about-

Oh. 

_Oh._

Well. He’d known he’d liked Alex, but… it was truly something that, even in their limited interactions, he’d made his way far enough into Willie’s heart that he fit in so naturally with the people he loved, the people who were his home. 

He thought he would be surprised, but as he thought more and more about it, the more it made sense. Alex, with his endearing laugh. Alex, with his anxious smiles and bursts of courage. Alex, with his eyes that shifted from icy blue to spring green to steely grey, Alex, with his freckles like the constellations in the night sky but still somehow bright as day. 

Although, the current situation was decidedly Not Great. Alex was a prince, and in an arranged marriage. Plus, he didn’t even know if he felt the same way. To confess his feelings would be treason, and would possibly get Willie (and maybe even Alex) exiled. He knew exile was only used for the most severe punishments, but still. He’d met one of the council members (Councilman Richard, if he recalled correctly), and got absolutely rancid vibes from him. 

So. Confessing his feelings was out. Alex might not even like him back. Alex was also already set to be married, and a literal prince.

A prince with whom Willie was in love. 

This was a problem. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we have it! If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment! Also, share any theories you have on how it might pan out at the ball! I'm already working on writing it, but I'd love to see what you all think.
> 
> Also, what are y'all's thoughts on a Reggie/Mira/Erik QPR? I think it would be super cute, personally, and a great way to incorporate them into the story more.
> 
> As always, feel free to come harass me on tumblr at girlboss-molina!


	6. Growing Pains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the ball, things don't go according to plan. Covington plays dirty, and soon, people are fearing for their lives. Everyone has to come together to survive, and true feelings come out in this chapter, even in dire straits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gods, this chapter got SO LONG. But I'm so excited to get your feedback! A little scared if I'm being honest, which you'll know if you've seen me screaming about it on Tumblr or the Pancake Squad server. 
> 
> Special thanks to Lizzie (willex-n-waffles on Tumblr), Kate (julie-and-the-himbo-ghosts), Jules (sylphrenas), and Ani (wlwcarries). 
> 
> TW: Mentions of injuries, bombs, shouting, and knives.

\-----

##  Alex POV

… 

Alex was surprisingly calm. The pressed white dress shirt was cool against his skin, the slim-fitting blue vest with subtle gold embroidery a calming pressure over his chest. He was anxious, of course, but not nearly as much as he would’ve expected, given the situation. He felt free, light…

And then he was drowning.

His lungs closed, refusing the air he tried to gulp down, throwing away a lifeline. Everything burned, like fiery needles stabbing into him at the speed of sound, not enough to bleed but somehow even more painful. His vision blurred, dizziness or tears, he couldn’t tell. He couldn’t hear his own breathing, or lack thereof, over the pounding of his heart in his ears. Everything was wrong. 

Then, the pounding of his heart silenced, his head felt lighter than air. He couldn’t move. He felt like he was in a cloud, no, like he  _ was  _ a cloud, floating in the sky but losing parts of himself as he passed, unable to control what happened, a bystander left helpless to watch havoc. 

Alex tried to move, tried to think, but his brain felt like ice, flaming with shivers as he shook, his lungs leaving no room for air between the panic. 

_ Something is going to go wrong,  _ he thought. He had a feeling in his gut that fueled his panic, telling him that someone would get hurt tonight, or that something horrible would happen, a feeling he couldn’t shake no matter how unrealistic it might’ve been. He knew Caleb wouldn’t try anything at the ball. It was a huge event, and tons of people would be there. 

He couldn’t sort out his thoughts, though, so he had no choice but to let this panic attack run its course. It felt surreal but painfully there, like when you’re so cold that you feel like you’re on fire. His hands shook, and he barely registered the salty tears coating his lips as he paced across the floor, back and forth until there was a groove in the rug. 

He made his way back to his bed, shaking, barely able to get the breath to fake three sneezes. He almost worried that it didn’t work, but then his door opened, Luke abandoning his post and sinking down next to him. He felt Luke’s arms wrap around him, and the touch immediately grounded him. Rather than a helpless cloud, he was the icy snow crusting the tops of the mountains behind the palace, unable to do anything but laying a foundation for something. And as Luke’s hands traced circles on his shoulder blades, he became the water rushing down the cliff sides, rapid and unpredictable, his breathing quickening but the panic subsiding. And when Luke pressed a gentle, calming kiss to his temple, Alex’s breathing finally slowed, his lungs letting in the air they so craved, and he calmed as the rushing water flowed into a clear pond, each reassuring touch from his best friend like a lily floating on the surface. 

He could hear, finally aware of Luke’s soft whispers of  _ “it’ll be okay,”  _ and  _ “just breathe.”  _

“Sorry,” he choked out, seeing Luke shake his head out of the corner of his eye.

“Don’t be,” he said. “This is a nerve-racking thing. I’m super nervous too.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Alex said dryly, wiping his tears. 

“Really?” Luke challenged, a quiver in his voice, extending a hand in front of Alex, which was trembling. “You’re not alone, I promise.”

“Thanks.” Alex tore a hand through his hair, taking his turn to wrap Luke in a hug and let him let out his emotions. He felt him shake against his chest, but his breathing stayed relatively even. Alex was never great at the whole  _ physical contact  _ thing. His parents were never touchy, to the point where hugs were always a rarity. But Luke was a touchy person, and soon Alex was comfortable with his spontaneous embraces and casual, platonic affection. 

“Okay,” Luke finally said. “It’s almost time. Let’s get ourselves fixed up.” Alex nodded, squeezing him tighter before letting go. They both wandered to the bathroom, gently wiping their faces of tears and fixing their hair. Alex tugged on his sleeves, eliminating any wrinkles, and readjusted his snug vest. 

“Okay,” he breathed. “I’m ready.”

“Me too.”

They both knew it was a lie. But their steps were steady as they walked to the ballroom. 

…

The food was delicious, especially the dessert, and Alex’s cheeks flushed as he wondered if Willie had made it. The expertly piped frosting seemed familiar, and he was almost sure that it was he who had carefully crafted it. 

And if he got emotional over a beautifully piped flower because of the slight possibility that it was made by his crush, no he didn’t. 

Eventually, the dancing started, and Alex had to suffer through. He plastered on an unconvincing smile and did his best to waltz around the ballroom with random Nobility who were chatting non-fucking-stop about how  _ excited  _ he must be for the marriage, and how was he liking it in Dahlia, and did he mind the cold, and what his relationship with Julie was like. Soon, he’d had it, and made some lame excuse about feeling a bit light-headed. Thankfully, he’d been able to ditch them and sit down along the side of the room. 

Reggie plopped down next to him, sitting sideways with his arm draped over the back of the chair. 

“Tired of the Nobles prying?” he assumed. Alex nodded, snorting. 

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that they have no gaydar, but it’s still super annoying being asked about my supposed girlfriend,” he added. “But playing heterosexual is still a pain in the ass.”

“Tell me about it,” Reggie agreed. “Every time I have an interview, it’s all, ‘any  _ special lady  _ in your life?’ or ‘have you taken an interest in any ladies of different kingdoms?’ but never ‘what’s your favorite pizza topping’ or ‘why are you the amazing bisexual that you are?’” Alex nodded sarcastically. 

“Of course.” 

“I know I joke,” Reggie added, “but I feel for you, man. It must be super hard.” 

“Yeah. And I do appreciate the attempts to lighten the mood, too.”

“That’s what I’m here for.” 

…

It was nearly eleven when the screaming started. 

Alex’s heart jumped to his throat, his stomach plummeted, and he simultaneously felt like everything was happening at once, and like it was moving in slow motion.

He remembered the sound of people running. Cries of the few children in attendance. Shouts of furious Nobility. Hushed, terrified breathing of the council members. Caleb’s velvety, disgusting voice as he lounged on Ray’s throne. The pounding of his heart in his ears. 

But what he remembered most vividly was the glint of the daggers pressed against each of the council members’ throats. 

“Why?” someone asked. It took a few seconds for Alex to realize that he was the one who’d spoken. Caleb quirked an eyebrow and gave him the side-eye.

“Why what?” Alex was shocked by his sudden swell of angry confidence. 

“You know damn well what I mean. Why are you doing this? We’ve been allies for a century, and you’re going to try to overthrow us and put daggers at the throats of our council members?”

“You know, Alexander, it really is adorable how you talk about Dahlia as if it’s  _ your  _ country. You are, until the wedding, the Tamborian prince.” Caleb twirled an extra dagger around his fingers. 

“That doesn’t change the fact that what you’re doing is wrong, and you know it. You just want more power, clearly, but do you really think people will stand for this and accept you as their leader? Do you really think that anyone with half a mind will be okay with this?”

“Alexander, the beauty of youth also comes with naivete. I wouldn’t expect you to understand yet. But the fact of the matter is that, in life, you must deal with growing pains. This will all be for the better.”

“No,” Julie interrupted, “it won’t. There is a huge difference between growing pains and whatever the hell you’re trying to do, and you know it.” 

Before Alex could add to what she said, he saw the back door of the ballroom open silently, revealing Lilian - the tall, dark-haired woman he’d met when looking for Willie - stalking in, a gleaming knife in her hand. She was followed by a short, plump woman with purple hair, a line of various chefs and bakers, each armed with metal frying pans, and-

_ No.  _

He tried to hide the fear in his eyes as Willie walked in, his brow furrowed and hands steady, wrapped around the knife in his hand. But when their eyes met, and Alex tried to give him the tiniest of head shakes, Willie mouthed something that Alex couldn’t make out before Caleb spoke again.

“I can see you’re all a bit tense,” he said silkily, “so here’s how this will go. Ray here is going to surrender, and I’ll let your precious council members live.” 

Alex watched as the group behind Lilian - thankfully not including Willie - silently lined up behind the seven Kryptonians holding daggers to the council. They made eye contact with one another before simultaneously bringing their frying pans down on their heads as hard as they could, causing everyone to erupt in shouts and screams, some of joy, some of rage, some of fear. Caleb’s head snapped over, and then Lilian spoke. 

“Or,” she said smoothly, “ _ you  _ could surrender, and go back to your own country.” She had the knife trained on his back, the blade gleaming in the lantern-lit room. Willie was in front of Caleb, popping out from behind the throne. Alex’s heart couldn’t decide if it wanted to pound louder or silence itself completely as he saw the terror in Willie’s eyes that he tried to mask. 

“Don’t hurt these people,” Willie said, his voice steadier than Alex would’ve expected. 

“A few bakers trying to save their precious leaders,” Caleb purred, but the malice in his voice was like venom. “How sweet. Unfortunately for you, I have this”- he pulled a small remote out of his pocket -”and while I would rather not use it, I will if I must.” Alex’s stomach dropped. 

A bomb.

“That’s right,” Caleb said over the terrified screams, people running for the doors. “If any of you here have any sense, you’ll run. You shouldn’t have to, of course, but if your leaders continue to be stubborn, it might be for the best.”

“You’re bluffing,” someone called from the audience. “You’re in this room too.”

“Am I?” Caleb challenged, and Alex’s face warped with confusion, until he saw a flicker. 

A hologram. 

“Yes,” Caleb remarked. “You probably didn’t notice my brief trip to the restroom earlier, but that wasn’t  _ actually  _ a restroom trip. I’m far away by now.”

“But what about your representatives?” Reggie asked. 

“Acceptable losses. These aren’t actually representatives, they’re criminals who have been offered the chance of a full pardon if things don't go south. They have, however, been made very clear of the  _ other  _ possibility.” Alex noticed one of them tremble. 

“You might notice that your king is not in the room,” Caleb added, and Alex’s face reddened with fury. 

_ “What did you do to my dad?”  _ Julie shouted, her hands clenched in fists, shaking. 

“He’s alive, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Caleb said. “But I guarantee that, should I press this button, he’ll be in the line of fire.”

Furious shouts echoed in the huge room, and Alex watched as Julie stepped up to the royals’ table. 

“Leave my people alone.” The words were cold, harsh, but clear and steady. “Get out of our kingdom. You have no place here.”

“Yeah,” Reggie interjected. “We’re not going to abandon our people, no matter how much you want us to.” 

“You can’t make us surrender,” Luke informed him. Alex nodded, standing as tall as he could. 

“I truly hate to do this,” Caleb said, without an ounce of sorrow in his voice. “But you leave me no choice.” 

“NO,” Alex yelled, his eyes flicking from Luke to Julie to Carlos to Willie to Reggie, trying to find all of them and get them out of here.

“I’m sorry, everyone,” Caleb added maliciously. Everyone was running and screaming, bustling through the doors, 

“Everyone get out of here,  _ now!”  _ Luke’s voice echoed throughout the ballroom, and Alex barely saw him run after Julie. Reggie ran out another door, and Alex searched for Willie. 

At least thirty seconds had to have passed, searching the ballroom and crowded hallways, ushering people out.

“WILLIE!” his voice was louder than he’d ever known it could be, and he shouted a couple more times, finally meeting a dark brown gaze, panicked and full of all the words they’d left unsaid. Everything moved in slow motion, his legs like lead and air as he sprinted towards him.

The shockwave knocked him backwards, leaving him deaf and blind, barely registering when his back hit the ground, not even noticing the air forced out of his lungs. Alex felt like he was floating, every nerve in his body stretched along a cloud of light.

_ If this is dying,  _ he thought,  _ it’s not so bad. People don’t need to be so scared.  _

His mind was trapped in a void of dark brights, blinding and comforting at the same time, like he was hovering in an endless state of between. Between fire and ice, ground and sky, life and death. He floated, wondering just how long it had been. It felt like minutes but it couldn’t have been, because that was only the shockwave.

Because then came the fire. 

The heat licked at his skin, and Alex was snapped back to reality. 

He wasn’t sure if he was burning or if it was just the air around him, which was now thick with smoke and dust. Bits of debris scattered all around, and he only saw Willie’s face one more time before falling into oblivion.

…

When Alex awoke, the sky was dark, twinkling with stars, but the faint light of sunrise teased the horizon. He was on his back, next to a giant slab of concrete, his face covered in dust. He did his best to sit up, a sharp pain on his arm. He winced, grabbing his bicep, grimacing when his palm came away soaked with blood. And his ankle hurt when he tried to stand. He tested it, but by some miracle, it didn’t feel broken. 

He stood, shaking the dust off of him and limping around, searching for other people. 

For survivors. 

Alex’s breath caught when he saw a group of people farther down the hill. He ran to them, ignoring the pain in his ankle as he bounded down. 

He saw Reggie first. His wrist was wrapped in a bandage, and a streak of red adorned his pale forehead, but he was alive. 

“REGGIE!” he shouted, running, tears blurring his eyes. Reggie’s head snapped towards him. 

“ALEX!” he cried, standing and dashing closer. They met in a hug, collapsing in each others’ arms, sobbing into their shoulders. 

“When we didn’t find you with the survivors we thought-”

“Shh, no, I’m okay,” he said. “A little roughed up, but I’ll live.” He turned his head to the palace, hundreds of feet behind him. He had a clear view of the destruction. 

He’d really underestimated the size of the palace. The ballroom was in the bottom right corner, and was blown to bits. More of the palace was scorched and crumbling, but it appeared the left half had been preserved,  _ somehow.  _

“Where’s everyone else?” he asked, refusing to give in to the panic rising in his chest. “Are they okay?”

“Julie’s with Carlos and Ray over where I was,” Reggie said. 

“Wait, Ray survived?” Relief washed over him. “But I thought-”

“I’m not sure how, but he made it,” Reggie said with an incredulous laugh, more tears running down his soot-covered face. “And Erik, Mira, Flynn and Carrie are also okay, same with Luke.” Alex sighed, smiling despite himself.  _ They’d survived.  _

“ALEX!” his head snapped to Luke’s voice, and he ran to him, once again ignoring the pain in his ankle. Luke tackled him with a hug despite the sling around his arm. “We thought you were-”

“I’m okay,” he said. “I’m okay.” 

…

Alex ran through the gardens, offering quick aid to anyone he could. But he was only half-paying attention, which might’ve made him the worst prince ever. But he needed to find Willie. 

He searched, tears blurring his eyes as he made his way to the last place he needed to search, but also the one he was dreading. 

As he ran into the park, he searched the lawn and sidewalks, nearly dying of relief when he saw Willie, sitting in the middle of the field, his knees hugged to his chest…

Shaking with sobs. 

“Willie!” he called, racing over. Willie’s head snapped up, his eyes red and puffy. His face went from shock to happiness to confusion to incredulity within half a second, and he stood, shaking and walking to Alex. 

A swell of confidence, probably tied with a huge rush of adrenaline, sent Alex running forward, wrapping Willie in a hug, who sobbed into his shoulder. Soon, Alex was crying too. 

“I’m sorry,” Willie whispered shakily. Alex shook his head. 

“No,” he said. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was doing, I should’ve grabbed you and ran…” His eyes met Willie’s, and he leaned a little closer, his heart racing until he was just a hairsbreadth away. 

Then, when Willie didn’t pull away, he pressed their lips together. 

Willie’s lips tasted like chocolate and salty tears, chapped and warm. He kissed back almost immediately, Willie’s hands tangling in Alex’s hair, Alex’s arms around his waist, pulling him closer. It might not have been a movie-worthy kiss, between the sobs, soot, and blood, but Alex couldn’t think, too caught up in the euphoria of Willie being alive, and of kissing him. 

It couldn’t have been more than a few seconds when they came up for air, foreheads pressed together. 

“When you weren’t with the survivors, I-” Willie choked off into another sob. “I thought I’d lost you,” he finally whispered. Alex shook, hugging him tighter. 

“You’ll never lose me.” 

\-----

##  Julie POV

…

Julie smoothed the front of her violet ball gown, letting the layers of tulle float gently to the floor. Straightening the silky bodice, her hands shook with anxiety, but she didn’t let herself succumb to it. The gown was identical to the one she’d worn to the welcome feast a week ago, only rather than navy blue, this one was violet. Otherwise, though, it was the same; a silky, strapless dress with layers of tulle, one layer going over her chest and collarbone in a halter neckline. However, while the blue one had tiny starlike diamonds sewn into the skirt, this one had no jewels, but the tulle halter was embroidered with dahlia designs. 

She walked to her vanity, twisting her hair into two braids, tying them together and letting the rest of her hair poof at the base of her neck. She drew her eyeliner into a small, sharp wing, brushed on mascara, and painted her lips with a shimmery gloss. She massaged a bit of lotion into her arms and spritzed some perfume into the air, walking through the mist so that it was subtle. 

Her low heels made quiet tapping noises as she walked across her bathroom, examining her reflection to make sure she looked perfect. 

Once she’d made sure her dress wasn’t crooked and that her eyeliner was even, Julie sat on the foot of her bed and grabbed her phone. The time read 19:44. 16 minutes until the ball. 

A knock on her door drew her attention. 

“Come in.” She gave a weak smile when her dad walked through the doorway. 

“Hey, mija,” he said, “you okay?” Julie shrugged.

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I’m nervous, but also just anxious to get this over with. With any luck, it’ll go well, and Caleb will revoke his declaration.”

“That’s the plan,” Ray agreed. A wistful smile spread on his face, and his eyes turned glassy. 

“You look beautiful,” he told her. Julie smiled.

“Thanks.”

“Your mother had a dress just like that,” he added. “You look just like her.” Julie stood, blinking back a tear as she hugged him. He squeezed back, finally letting go with a sigh. 

“Everything will be okay.”

“Here’s hoping. And if not, we’ll make it.” Ray nodded, his expression unreadable as he left, closing her door, almost seeming like he wasn’t sure if it was true.

Right at that moment, Julie decided that it would be. If things went south, no matter what, she would fight to make sure they all made it out alive. She would fight in any way she had to if it meant her family stayed safe.

She would fight, and she would win.

…

As she walked into the ballroom, she found her assigned seat, in the center of the long royal table, just beside her father. To her right was Luke, then Alex, Carrie, Flynn, Erik, Mira, and Carlos. To her left, after Ray, was Reggie, Councilwoman Noah, Councilman Richard, Councilperson Aster, Councilwoman Mei Lin, Councilwoman Anika, Councilman Ryan, and Councilman Trevor. 

The council members weren’t technically royalty, but they were the next tier of leaders in Dahlia, and the royal table was very long, so they got to sit there as well. 

Around the perimeter, circular tables were arranged with white tablecloths draping over them, and as the Dahlian Nobility flooded in, many of the seats filled. Soon, though, King Covington arrived.

He was dressed in a black three-piece, a black and violet cloak over his shoulders. His top hat was still perched on his expertly-styled hair, and his blue eyes pierced Julie’s before travelling to Ray. Ray stood, his face neutral. Covington took off his hat and pressed it to his chest, dipping in an elaborate bow. 

“It is an honor to be here, King Molina,” he purred. “I do hope we can resolve this quickly.”

“As do I. Hopefully it will be easy. We have been allies for over a century, after all.” Covington’s smile morphed into a sneer.

“Indeed.” He flourished to his table, Kryptonian representatives right behind him, as they arranged themselves. Ray cleared his throat, and Julie took a deep breath. 

“Welcome,” he said, “to the ball. This event is a celebration of allyship, a hope for peace, and a symbol of unity amongst our people. I hope all of you in attendance will find yourselves comfortable. Please, do not hesitate to speak up if you are not. Now please, enjoy the feast.”

Soft chatter echoed in the grand room, the clicking of cutlery on plates ringing in Julie’s ears. She did her best to focus on her food, but her eyes kept flicking to Covington. He was very shady. She couldn’t decide if he was always like that, or if something was off tonight, but he spoke in hushed tones to his representatives, glancing furtively around the room. Julie turned back to her food.

“How are you holding up?” Luke’s voice snapped her out of her daze. 

“Alright,” she said after a moment. “You?”

“Alright.” 

It was a lie, of course. Neither of them were alright, but they had to pretend to be. 

Julie noticed Luke’s eyes flicker to Caleb. 

“Something seems off,” he murmured. “I’m not sure if he’s always like this, but my gut tells me something’s wrong.”

“I had the same feeling,” Julie admitted, looking at her food so people wouldn’t notice her occasional glances to Covington and Luke. 

“Hey, dad?” she asked after a moment, her voice hushed. Ray looked at her. 

“Something’s wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, my gut is telling me that something bad is going to happen. Look at Covington,” she added when he looked skeptical. “He’s glancing around like he expects someone to sneak up on him, and he’s hunched. He looks so secretive, but he’s usually flamboyant.”

“Hmm,” Ray murmured. “You’re right, he is acting strange. But I’m sure everything’s fine, mija.” He patted her hand. “Your dad’s got this.” Julie offered half a smile in reply, but met Luke’s eyes nervously. 

“I’m sure it’ll be okay,” he finally said. “He’s probably plotting what ridiculous outfit he’ll wear tomorrow.” The joke lightened the mood, and Julie giggled. Luke smiled, biting his lip to hold back a laugh. 

They finished their dinner, and then, the mingling began. Dessert would be brought up soon, but this was an opportunity for everyone to stand and walk around to see other people. Julie roamed the room, shaking hands and speaking cordially with the Nobility, exchanging a couple jokes with Lady Cadence. 

When butlers brought dessert from the kitchens, Julie gave a friendly curtsy to the people around her before making her way back to the table. The dessert was a mixture of mini red velvet cupcakes, piped with cream cheese frosting, and beautifully decorated cakes. Thin layers of fondant gave them warm pastel coloring, and frosting had been piped into flowers and swirls. 

She helped herself to a slice of cake, but didn’t finish it. Nerves were taking up more room in her stomach than she’d thought. So, she opted to sip her water, scanning the crowd. She noticed Lady Amara holding hands with Lady Sierra and smiled. She’d known they’d liked each other, so that warmed her heart. 

Soon, everyone had finished dessert, and the music volume increased, slow and rhythmic. People made their way to the dance floor with partners, waltzing around gracefully. Julie smiled as Carrie dragged Flynn over, spinning her around and catching her. Flynn protested but laughed. 

Soon, Julie was twirling around the dance floor, making idle chatter as she slowly waltzed with kind Nobility, talking cordially about political affairs. 

As she sat down on one of the free chairs at the edge of the ballroom, she sighed. Thankfully, everything seemed to be going well. She smoothed the tulle of her dress, fixing a curl back into a braid, when Luke’s voice caught her attention.

“My lady,” he said with a grin, dipped in a bow. “May I have this dance?” Julie stifled a laugh. He was  _ such  _ a dork. But she nodded, putting her hand in his and letting him pull her closer, hoping she hid her shiver when he gently placed his hand on her waist, the other holding her hand up as they danced.

“I’m surprised at how well this has gone so far,” he told her. She couldn’t help but nod, making sure nobody was paying attention.

“I half suspected Caleb would’ve tried something by now.” 

“Same.”

“But I still have a nagging feeling in my gut,” Julie admitted. Luke nodded, quiet for a moment. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence, though. They held each other's gaze, and Julie’s hand felt right at home on his shoulder as she swayed. 

“There’s nothing to do about it now, though,” Luke reasoned, and Julie smiled, grinning wider when he twirled her. Her heart fluttered, but sank when Luke frowned. Half of his smile returned.

“We should probably trade off, now,” he sighed. Julie nodded disappointedly. Nobody could suspect that they didn’t want to go along with the arranged marriage. And besides, Luke might like her, but probably not how she liked him. He just cared about people’s reputations. 

She gave half a smile and twirled again, before someone took her wrist. 

“Your highness, may I have this dance?” The sickening voice of Caleb Covington filled Julie’s ears, and she wanted nothing more than to rip away from his clammy clutch and walk away. But this was for diplomacy, so she suppressed her shudder and offered a smile.

“Of course.”

“You know,” Covington said silkily, “this is a beautiful palace.” Julie nodded.

“Yes, I believe your grandfather helped my great-grandfather design it once we became allies,” she pointed out. “It has architectural properties that were inspired by Kryptonian styles, but was also its own thing.”

“Yes, one might say that,” Caleb agreed. “But, isn’t it ironic that my own grandfather, who was the king of the most prolific country in the world, held no reservations against designing a palace for a new ‘country’ that never should have existed?” Julie bit back a sarcastic remark. 

“With all due respect, your majesty”- she twirled, grateful for the moment without Caleb’s hand on her waist -”At that time, Dahlia had already been founded over a century earlier, and relations had stabled. Our resources were significant, and our citizens had settled in an unoccupied land. The Dahlian revolution was a revolution purely because Krypto’s king at the time was too stubborn in the years before his passing to let go.”

“You’ve studied your history, I see,” Caleb remarked. 

“I  _ have  _ been raised for this,” Julie agreed with half a smile, but it wasn’t genuine. “Your grandfather ascended over a century ago, and his goal was always peace, which was why he worked so hard to forge an allyship between Krypto and Dahlia. Relations have been stable between us ever since. We would rather keep it that way.”

“You know,” Caleb said with a click, “the funny thing about running a country is that you must always aim for growth. In that growth lies certain… growing pains, shall we say? Krypto is destined for greatness, and Dahlia is the rebellious teenager who was once an obedient child, and will soon be the respectful adult with familial ties.”

“Or,” Julie countered smoothly, “if you’re so set on growth, you could expand on uninhabited land. More resources means more wealth, and more land means more growth for your borders and space for your people. Holding onto a grudge that was resolved before you were born will only hold you back.”

She knew the words were risky, and might be perceived as disrespectful, but Caleb’s smirk grew into a laugh.

“My dear Julie, you are too smart for your own good. And yet,” he added, “there is still so much you don’t understand. You’re so young, I wouldn’t expect you to understand it in the first place.”

“Sir, with all due respect, I am just as qualified as anyone else in this room.” 

“But you don’t know what it’s like to lead a country on your own-”

“And I’ll never have to, because I have the sense to not distance myself from my people.”

“You’re marching into dangerous territory,” Covington warned, but Julie didn’t care. 

“Like I said,” she said with finality, “our goal is to resolve things peacefully and go back to our allyship. Please enjoy the ball.”

…

Julie had taken her chance to escape Caleb, and she was grateful that she did, because she got room to breathe, and got to hang out with her friends. 

She danced with Alex, chatting idly about the ball, and about a certain baker with whom Alex was absolutely smitten. She grinned to herself, asking questions to make sure that this baker was actually worthy of Alex. She knew he could be a bit… simpy, so she had to make sure she had the brain cell, and then approve of his future boyfriend. But, if Alex was to be believed, the baker - Willie, as she learned - was one of the sweetest people to ever walk the Earth, just shy of Reggie. So, Julie took his word for it. 

She twirled, letting the skirt of her dress flare outwards. 

“Okay, bro, that dress is amazing,” Alex noted. “It looks like the one you wore last week.”

“That’s because it is! Well, the same style at least. It’s a different color.”

“Well, same or different, it looks great.”

“Thanks,” she said with a grin. She noticed Alex’s eyes flicking around the room, scanning the people as if he was searching for someone.

“Looking for someone?” she asked, a shit-eating grin on her face. Alex’s face turned bright red as he stammered in denial. Julie laughed. 

“You know what? We’re done dancing, you can come back after you quit being an asshole,” he decided, flicking his wrist. Julie snorted; his gay panic was hilarious. 

She found herself dancing with Flynn, who gave her The Look, glancing at Luke, who was playfully dancing with Alex. They weren’t even  _ dancing,  _ it was more just… messing around in a rhythmic formation. But when Luke’s eyes caught Julie’s, she quickly looked away. Flynn rolled her eyes as she twirled Julie.

“Jules, I know I can’t yell at you about this since we’re at a ball, but come  _ on.  _ You have to know he’s absolutely smitten with you.” Julie sighed.

“Or he’s just a dork. Which is very,  _ very  _ possible. I mean, have you  _ met  _ him?”

“Then tell me why he doesn’t act like that around anybody else?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “But even if he does like me, there’s nothing we can do about it. It would be a disaster.” 

“Jules, you have to go for what you want!” Flynn took a breath as she twirled, giving an awkward smile to anybody looking their way. “Talk to your dad,” she added quietly. 

“What? Flynn, are you fucking insane?” Julie looked around; it was her turn to give an awkward smile. “I  _ can’t  _ tell dad about this.” 

“Can’t tell me about what?” Ray’s voice was in a normal tone and volume, but he looked concerned as he walked towards them. “Mijas, are you alright?” Julie opened her mouth, trying to speak, glancing to Flynn.

“We’re fine,” she said at last. Ray quirked an eyebrow. 

“Honey, you know I would never judge you, right?” Julie sighed, letting Flynn hand her over to dance with her dad. 

“I know. It’s just…” she couldn’t find the right words. 

“Is this about Caleb? Did he do something to you?”

“No, no,” she assured him, “it’s not about that. It’s about something else.” Her heart sank when he looked down.

“The marriage?” he asked quietly. She sighed. 

“Yeah.” 

“I know.” 

“No, that’s the thing, dad, you don’t know. You know that Alex and I don’t want to get married, and I know that you tried to get us out of it, but it just hurts so much more now that…”

“No, mija, I  _ know.  _ You aren’t as subtle as you think.” Julie’s jaw dropped, and she stuttered for words, refusing to glance over to Luke. 

“I’m sorry,” she finally sighed, “I’m so, so sorry. This isn’t something you need added to your plate.”

“Julie, you have  _ nothing  _ to apologize for. I know you can’t control feelings. I’ve tried. Did I ever tell you how your mother and I met?” Julie shook her head. 

“She was about your age,” Ray began. “I met her at a cafe, while she was out in the city taking a break from being a princess. I didn’t even know it was  _ her.  _ But as soon as I did know, I immediately tried to ignore my feelings for her. But every time I saw her, I remembered her smile, and how kind she was when we spoke.

“Well, I would occasionally see her in person. We got to know each other, and no matter how much I tried to repress how I felt and insist that I just wanted to be friends with her, it didn’t work. But it all worked out in the end.”

“Yeah, well, Mom wasn’t in an arranged marriage. Her falling in love with you wasn’t treason.”

“Maybe, but…” Ray trailed off. “I’m still trying to get you out of it, I promise.”

“Thanks, Pap á.”

“Of course. But you have my word that, should you choose to stand up and face these feelings, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. I can’t promise that if people find out there won’t be trouble, but I’ll do anything I can.”

“Only if you extend the same courtesy to Alex,” Julie told him. “As well as whoever either of us might love.” He nodded.

“Of course, mija.” He pulled her in for a hug. “It’ll all be okay.” She nodded against his shoulder. 

“Thank you.”

…

Julie was exhausted. She must’ve danced with everyone in attendance, plastering on a smile and talking about whatever. But now, she could’ve collapsed and fallen asleep. 

That is, until she heard the screaming. 

Adrenaline coursed through her veins, her heart pounding in her ears as she ran to the end of the ballroom, stopping in her tracks when she saw Covington dramatically sitting in her father’s thronelike chair. He sat sideways, leaning on one armrest with his legs over the other, looking very pleased with himself. And next to him…

Next to him, all seven council members were trapped in their chairs, with daggers pressed to their throats. None of them made a sound, but the fear in their eyes was heartbreaking. Everyone in the ballroom shouted, screamed, and cried for justice.

“Like I said,” Covington shouted over the din, “you will either surrender peacefully to Kryptonian rule, or we will take it by force.”

…

A bomb. 

Julie could barely think. 

She took a deep breath, her hands shaking as she clenched them into fists and released, finally clearing her head. Normally she worked well under pressure, but this? This was something else entirely. 

The chaos of people shouting and running, trying to escape the ballroom gave her a chance to run for Carlos.

“JULIE!” he shouted, tears running down his face. Julie grabbed his wrist, running out the door of the ballroom. 

“I’m going to get more people out,” she said. “I want you to grab whoever you see on your way and run straight out the front gates as far as you can, okay? But-” Carlos shook his head, inhaling to interject, but Julie cut him off -”No, Carlos,  _ listen to me.  _ Do  _ not  _ try to be a hero. I want you to run as fast as you can, okay?”

Carlos finally nodded, wrapping Julie in a hug and leaving the chest of her dress soaked with tears. 

“I love you,” he choked out before running.

“I love you too,” she told him, never having meant the words more than she did in that moment. 

“Julie,” came Luke’s voice from behind her, his eyes filled with panic. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, traitorous tears finally leaking down her face. “You should be running, you should get out of here, get Alex, get Reggie, get anyone you can and get out!”

“No,” Luke said firmly, “I’m staying with you. But please, just-” 

_ “No!  _ You need to get out of here! I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.” Luke grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a supply closet as more people ran by. Julie gasped in the dark.

“Please,” he said as her eyes adjusted. “Please, Julie. In case I don't make it, there’s something you need to know.” He took a breath, but Julie cut him off.

“No, don’t even go there.” She shook her head, letting her curls fly in the air. 

“Please,” he whispered. Julie couldn’t speak, just shaking her head. More shouts and screams echoed from the hallway. Luke’s eyes met Julie’s, and she couldn’t find the right words to describe the intensity and swirling, indescribable emotions in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, a single tear sliding down his cheek. Then, Julie met him halfway. 

When her lips met his, they tasted salty from tears, and her arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer. His hand cupped her jaw, and she sank into the touch. 

“I had to do that,” he told her when they pulled away, another tear rolling down his face. “At least once.” 

Then, he ran out of the closet, nobody noticing within the chaos. Julie chased after him, running back into the mostly-empty ballroom. The Kryptonian representatives - or criminals - had let the council members go, and were running as fast as they could. A few Nobles were also running, but one line of Caleb’s kept echoing in Julie’s mind. 

_ “I guarantee that, should I press this button, he’ll be in the line of fire.” _

Caleb was about to press the button. 

He was about to kill her father. 

“DAD!” she screamed. 

“JULIE!” it was Luke who shouted it, and Julie’s eyes blurred, spilling tears as she sobbed into his shoulder. 

“We have to get out of here,” he told her, and she nodded, running as fast as she could, her hand clasped in his. They’d made it to the front gates before the shockwave hit them, quickly followed by fire which licked at their skin, the heat making it hard to breathe; not that they were able to breathe, the shockwave having knocked the wind out of them. They flew down the steps, and Julie was barely able to roll in time to not break her neck. Luke was behind her, and she did her best to catch him as they scrambled, making it to the hill before blacking out. 

…

When Julie awoke, it was to her father’s voice, blinded by light and grief and hope. 

_ I’m dead,  _ she thought. But the grass under her back was cold and wet and very much making a bruise form on her spine, and the whooshing air in her ears felt real as well, and the sound of people crying and talking was heartbreaking but brought her back to reality, however horrible it might’ve been. 

She blearily opened her eyes, seeing her dad and Carlos, ashen, dirty faces streaked with tears. They wrapped her in a hug, and she sobbed into their shoulders. 

“Dad-”

“I’m here, mija.”

“But I thought you were dead! Caleb said-”

“I was able to make it out,” he assured her. “I’m a little beaten up, but I’m alive.”

“Where’s Luke?” she asked, choked up with smoke and fear. 

“Right here.” Luke’s voice was choked up, and he wrapped her in a gentle hug. She cried into his shoulder for a moment.

“He’s okay,” Carlos said. “We’re okay.” Julie cried harder, standing and collapsing into Luke’s arms, running to Reggie and Carrie and Flynn and Mira and Erik and-

“Wait,” she said, trying to convince her eyes that she’d seen wrong. 

“Where’s Alex?”

“He’s okay,” Reggie said. Julie hadn’t even noticed that he’d walked away. But now, his face was covered with happy tears, and he had Alex’s arm wrapped around his shoulder, helping him walk with a sprained ankle. Julie rushed to him and hugged him as tightly as she could, finally letting her tears break free.

They were okay. 

\-----

##  Luke POV

...

When Alex’s breathing quickened, Luke had a feeling this would be one of the worst panic attacks yet. So, it was no surprise when three fake sneezes echoed in the room, Luke was prepared to walk in and sit next to his best friend. 

He wrapped his arms around Alex, trying to calm his trembling. 

“It’s okay,” he whispered, but Alex didn’t hear him. Luke kept holding him, trying to stay steady for him, letting Alex bury his head in his shoulder. He traced circles on Alex’s shoulder blades, thankful when he calmed a bit, but his breathing was rapid and shaky. 

“Everything will be okay, Lex,” he said. “I promise.”

Luke leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to Alex’s temple, tracing gentle circles along his shoulders. 

“Just breathe,” he whispered. “It’ll be okay.” Alex hugged him tighter, and Luke patted his back.

“Sorry,” he choked out, and Luke immediately shook his head.

“Don’t be. This is a nerve-racking thing. I’m super nervous too.” It wasn’t a lie. Luke had always been good at holding himself together when he was scared or anxious, but he was still trembling. 

“Could’ve fooled me,” Alex said dryly, wiping his tears. 

“Really?” Luke challenged, hating how his voice quivered, even though it proved his point. He showed Alex his shaking hands. “You’re not alone,” he reminded him. “I promise.”

“Thanks.” Then, it was Alex’s turn to wrap him in a hug, and Luke was surprised but comforted by it. He let himself sink into the embrace, sure he was shaking, but he didn’t care. That was his best friend, and he was warm, and Luke needed a hug. He held him tighter, shaking, finally letting go, his heart protesting the lack of hugs.

“Okay, it’s almost time. Let’s get ourselves fixed up.” Alex nodded, squeezing him tighter before letting go. Luke followed him to the bathroom, fixing his heather grey vest and readjusting his sleeves, fixing a loose strand of hair. 

Neither of them were ready, but they nodded to each other and walked to the ballroom. 

…

Luke was rather surprised when he saw that his assigned seat was between Julie and Alex. It would’ve made more sense for Julie to be next to Alex, since they were supposed to be getting married. Not that Luke was complaining, of course.

“How are you holding up?” he asked quietly.

“Alright,” Julie replied after hesitating. Luke knew it was a lie. “You?”

“Alright.” 

Luke’s eyes flickered to Caleb against his will. Something in his gut was nagging at him that something was wrong.

“Something seems off,” he murmured. “I’m not sure if he’s always like this, but my gut tells me something’s wrong.”

“I had the same feeling,” Julie admitted, confirming Luke’s anxieties. He did his best to calm the swelling bubble of worries in his stomach, taking another bite of his food. He heard Julie whisper to her dad, mentioning that she felt like something was off. Luke kept glancing at her, never lingering for more than a moment before looking away, usually to see if Caleb was still acting sketchy.

Of course, he was. 

Julie caught his eye, and he couldn’t ignore how nervous she looked. He bit his lip, hating how anxious this was all making her. She didn’t deserve this distress. Luke had to fight the urge to reach and take her hand; even under the table, it would be a super risky move.

“I’m sure it’ll be okay,” he finally said. “He’s probably plotting what ridiculous outfit he’ll wear tomorrow.” Luke grinned when she laughed, for once not minding the butterflies in his stomach and how his heart started doing flips when she smiled. 

When the dancing started, Julie went to the large floor, speaking cordially with Nobles, and Luke was entranced. She flitted around the room like a butterfly. Her sparkly dress caught the light as she twirled, and the violet coloring made her look like she’d been dipped in twilight, with the softness of the clouds but the ferocity of a raging hurricane, the strength of a rushing river but the gentle touch of a feathery breeze. 

Luke stood at the edge of the floor, dancing with many people, including an overeager middle school girl who was both shy and enthusiastic. He gave her a smile and moved on to the next person. 

At some point, he ended up dancing with Mira, whose shimmery aquamarine gown had flecks of gold sewn in, glinting in the light. But he kept trying to subtly spot Julie in the crowd. Mira laughed.

“Dude, you’re killing me,” she said with an exasperated grin. “Go find her and ask her to dance!” Luke shook his head.

“We’re in a public setting,” he reasoned. It definitely  _ wasn’t  _ because of the nerves swelling in his chest. The eye roll Mira gave him was legendary. 

“And? It’s a ball! People dance! Alex has had to dance with a ton of people already, but nobody suspects him of treason, right? So who’s to say you can’t dance with Jules?” Luke sighed. 

“I know, I know, it’s just…” he trailed off, searching for the right words as he twirled Mira. “I feel weird,” he told her. “I’m normally really confident and can just go for things, but for some reason I just…  _ can’t.  _ I hate this feeling,” he added. “Nervousness does  _ not  _ fit me.” 

“It doesn’t,” Mira agreed. “But it is sweet. And I can guarantee you that she wants to dance with you too.” Luke’s eyes widened.

“How do you know? Wait,” he said, a huge grin spreading on his face as he lowered his voice, “do you think she likes me like I like her?” He shook his head, trying to get rid of those horrible, treasonous thoughts.

“I’m not going to betray Julie’s trust,” Mira said, “but I  _ am  _ going to call you an oblivious, pining dumbass.” When Luke didn’t respond, she added, “get it together! Go tell her how you feel!”

“I can’t do that,” he sighed. “Even if I really, really want to. We both know what would happen, Mira.”

“I know, I just…” Mira sighed. “I hate seeing her so doubtful. She’s confident in herself, and she doesn’t need a guy to tell her she’s amazing. But watching one of my best friends wonder whether someone she’s totally gone for feels the same, asking herself  _ why would he be,  _ when the answer is so obvious… I just hate it. You make her happy, Patterson.” Mira twirled, giving him a knowing look. “And I know she makes you happy, too.

“Things are happening, and the situation is awful,” she told him, giving a smile and encouraging nod to the other side of the ballroom. “Make sure it’s worth it.”

And then she was gone, having vanished into the crowd, leaving Luke with a goal and a pounding heart. 

But he wasn’t a quitter, so he made his way across the room, his heart fluttering when he found Julie. 

“My lady,” he said with a grin, dipped in a bow. “May I have this dance?” 

He heard Julie laugh, briefly saw her head bounce in a nod, and then her hand was in his. Everywhere she touched felt warm and cold at the same time, and Luke smiled to himself as he pulled her closer, gently putting his hand on her waist as they danced. 

Julie’s eyes shone in the light, deep brown with flecks of inky black and shimmering gold. 

“I’m surprised at how well this has gone so far,” he said. Julie nodded, glancing around.

“I half suspected Caleb would’ve tried something by now.” Luke agreed.

“Same.”

“But I still have a nagging feeling in my gut,” Julie admitted. He nodded, smiling at her. The butterflies in his stomach were steady but light, and the small pressure of her hand on his shoulder kept him grounded. He had a feeling he would’ve floated away otherwise. 

“There’s nothing to do about it now, though,” Luke reasoned, and Julie smiled, grinning wider when he twirled her. Luke noticed Covington staring at him, a frown on his face and one eyebrow quirked. Luke’s face fell.

“We should probably trade off now.” He hated the coldness in his hand and on his shoulder as she let go, hated Julie’s disappointed frown, and most of all, he hated Caleb’s slimy smile as he took Julie’s wrist, and how pleased with himself he looked when she danced with him out of politeness. Luke could see how uncomfortable she was. Her whole body tensed, and her smile was extremely forced. He wanted nothing more than to get him away from her, to get him to stop touching her when she clearly wasn’t okay with it. But that would’ve caused a huge spectacle, and Julie wouldn’t want him to cause drama. So he walked away. 

…

When the screaming began, Luke’s stomach dropped. 

Then when he turned and saw all seven council members with daggers pressed to their throats, he nearly vomited. 

And when Caleb pulled out a small remote, threatening to detonate a bomb, anger contorted all of his features, his fists shaking, fingers tracing the outlines of two daggers inside his vest. His eyes flicked to Reggie, then Alex, then Julie, all of whom were terrified, confused, and angry.

“You’re bluffing,” someone called from the audience after Caleb made his threat about the bomb. “You’re in this room too.” Luke nodded. 

“Am I?” Caleb challenged, and it took Luke a moment to realize that he was a hologram. A terrifyingly real one, too. 

“Yes,” Caleb remarked. “You probably didn’t notice my brief trip to the restroom earlier, but that wasn’t  _ actually  _ a restroom trip. I’m far away by now.”

“But what about your representatives?” Reggie asked. 

“Acceptable losses. These aren’t actually representatives, they’re criminals who have been offered the chance of a full pardon if things don't go south. They have, however, been made very clear of the  _ other  _ possibility.” 

“You might notice that your king is not in the room,” Caleb added, and Luke gasped, running to Julie, whispering that it would be okay. She barely noticed him. 

_ “What did you do to my dad?”  _ she shouted, her hands clenched in fists, shaking, a couple tears running down her face. 

“He’s alive, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Caleb said. “But I guarantee that, should I press this button, he’ll be in the line of fire.”

Furious shouts echoed in the huge room, large in part from Luke himself. Jule shrugged his hand off her shoulder, stepping up to the royals’ table. 

“Leave my people alone. Get out of our kingdom,” she instructed. “You have no place here.”

“Yeah,” Reggie interjected. “We’re not going to abandon our people, no matter how much you want us to.” 

“You can’t make us surrender,” Luke added loudly, squaring his shoulders. 

“I truly hate to do this,” Caleb said, without an ounce of sorrow in his voice. “But you leave me no choice.” 

Luke sprinted towards the doors next to Julie.

“I’m sorry, everyone,” Caleb added maliciously. Everyone was running and screaming, bustling through the doors, 

“Everyone get out of here,  _ now!”  _ Luke’s voice was louder than he’d ever known it could be, or maybe it was the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He ran out the door, ushering people away, directing them to the nearest exit and telling them to run as far as they could. But his mind was still on Julie.

He searched the crowd, craning his neck before he found her talking to Carlos and hugging her. He raced towards her.

“Julie,” he said quietly. 

“What are you doing?” she asked. “You should be running, you should get out of here, get Alex, get Reggie, get anyone you can and get out!” Luke shook his head.

“No,” Luke said firmly, “I’m staying with you. But please, just-” 

_ “No!  _ You need to get out of here! I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you.” Luke grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a supply closet as more people ran by, hating the way he was shaking.

“Please,” he said, blinking as his eyes adjusted, and blinking back tears. “Please, Julie. In case I don't make it, there’s something you need to know.” He took a breath, but Julie cut him off.

“No, don’t even go there.” She shook her head, but Luke couldn’t think.

“Please,” he whispered. He looked at her, trying to take in every beautiful detail; the deep brown of her eyes, the curls of hair draped over her shoulders, the small gap in her teeth, the curve of her collarbone, the beautiful melody of her voice.

“I’m sorry,” he said, a single tear sliding down his cheek. Julie leaned forward as he did, and then his lips were on hers. The kiss was brief and tasted like chocolate, full of all the emotions he couldn’t find the words for. She kissed him back, and he couldn’t explain how much it hurt knowing that it might be the last time.

“I had to do that,” he whispered when they pulled away, another tear rolling down his face. “At least once.” 

Then, he ran out of the closet, right into the mostly-empty ballroom to get everybody out and search for Ray. Caleb’s hologram smiled maliciously at him. Luke ignored it, running and helping people up as they fell, before Julie’s voice pierced the air. 

“DAD!” she screamed.  _ No! Why was she here? She was supposed to run! _

“JULIE!” he shouted, running to her.

“We have to get out of here,” he said, and thankfully she didn’t protest. She took his hand and he ran with her as fast as he could without pulling her over, making it to the front gates when the shockwave hit him. Heat from the raging fire burned the air and made it impossible to breathe, and Luke did his best to land steadily as Julie caught him after rolling. He ran as fast as he could, and everything seemed to move in slow motion as he looked back at Julie, her hand slipping from his, the final shockwave blasting him backwards.

He was blacked out before he hit the ground. 

…

When Luke awoke, he coughed, pain in his chest from the smoke and debris. His head was pounding, a drop of blood rolling down his cheek. As he sat up, a sharp pain in his shoulder told him he’d dislocated it. He grimaced, testing it; thankfully it wasn’t severe, and he bit down on torn fabric of his vest as he popped it back into place, using the rest as a sling he hastily tied. 

He stood, running down the pile of debris as he found Reggie. 

“REGGIE!” he shouted, running as fast as he could. Reggie’s face was streaked with tears, and he ran to him. Luke wrapped him in a one-armed hug, a sob escaping his lips. 

“Are you okay?” he asked. Reggie nodded. 

“I’m okay,” he choked out. “Sprained my wrist, but I’m okay.” 

“Where’s Julie?” he asked, looking around. 

“She’s okay, don’t worry,” Reggie told him, another tear streaking down the dust on his face. “But we haven’t found Alex yet.” Luke’s stomach dropped.

He was supposed to be Alex’s guard. He was supposed to protect him, and now he might not even be  _ alive.  _ Luke’s eyes blurred with tears and his chest heaved with sobs. 

“That doesn’t mean he’s…” Reggie trailed off. “We haven’t searched all of the grounds yet, so there’s still a good chance he’s alright and we just haven’t found him.” The words helped, but Luke couldn’t stop crying.  _ Alex was missing.  _

“Ray’s also alive,” Reggie added, and Luke was shocked enough to dry his tears. 

“But I thought-”

“He made it, somehow.” Reggie’s laugh was incredulous. “Everyone else is okay, too.” 

But not Alex. 

…

Luke practically flew down the hill to Julie, who was still passed out, her gown tattered and skin covered in soot and dust. A few streaks of blood marred her arms, but she seemed okay other than that, and Luke was too relieved to explain when he noticed that her breathing was steady. 

Ray wrapped him in a hug, which took Luke by surprise, but he hugged back. 

“I’m so sorry, mijo,” he said. “I should’ve-”

“No,” Luke said. “No, you did everything you could’ve. And we just need to find Alex.” He willed the words to be true, but Ray shook his head. 

“There were four casualties,” he whispered. “Four of my people, gone, because I couldn’t…”

“That was not your fault,” Luke told him sharply. “You hear me? Not. Your. Fault. It was Covington who did that, not you. You did everything you could.” Ray nodded.

“Okay.” He shook more, but stood, patting Luke on the shoulders, looking back down to Julie. Flynn was knelt next to her, holding her hand and whispering for her to please wake up. 

“She’s okay,” Luke whispered to himself. Then, he noticed Reggie was gone, and-

When he looked up the hill, he saw Reggie with a familiar tall, blonde boy in a torn blue suit.

“ALEX!” Luke ignored the pain in his shoulder as he bolted, running and tackling his best friend in a hug. He choked back sobs, but some tears still made their way through. “We thought you were-”

“I’m okay,” Alex said. “I’m okay.” Luke nodded into his shoulder. 

“I’m so sorry, man, I should’ve been with you, I should’ve-”

“No,” Alex said. “We’re okay. You have nothing to apologize for.” Luke nodded. 

“Everyone else is okay, too,” he said. “Come on.” 

Luke ran back down the hill, followed by Alex and Reggie. But Luke sprinted as fast as he could when he noticed that Julie was stirring. He blinked back tears, a huge grin on his face.

“Where’s Luke?” he heard her ask. 

“Right here.” He leaned down and gently wrapped her in a hug, helping her up. She was shaky but didn’t fall, finally tackling him in a huge hug, crying into his shoulder. Luke cried into the top of her head, pressing a kiss to her hair, not caring who was watching. He let her to the others. 

“Where’s Alex?” she asked, her voice trembling. 

“He’s okay,” Reggie said from a few feet away as he helped Alex, who seemed to have sprained his ankle.

“We’re all okay,” Luke told her, wrapping them all in a giant hug.

_ We’re okay.  _

\-----

##  Reggie POV

…

Reggie’s hands shook as he fastened the buttons on his silky red vest, adjusting and readjusting the dark sleeves of his shirt. He took a deep breath, stretching and grabbing his bass to calm him down. He ran through the notes for Icarus, sliding down the A string and adding in some extra notes for funsies. He grinned to himself as he spun, tapping his foot with the music. 

Humming to himself, Reggie glanced out the window. The sun hadn’t set, but it was going to soon. It was retreating west, preparing to dive behind the mountains. And the time on his phone told him that he needed to be in the ballroom in ten minutes. He sighed and decided to go now. It was on the other side of the palace, and he might as well go early. 

…

When Reggie had settled into his seat next to Ray, Councilwoman Noah soon sat next to him. 

“Hi, Reggie,” she said with a smile. “How are you?”

“Pretty nervous,” he admitted, “but excited. I love balls. They’re so fun, even if we have to dress all fancy.” Councilwoman Noah laughed.

“Well, you look wonderful,” she told him. Reggie beamed. 

“Thanks! You do too!” 

“Thanks, hon.” She shook her head wistfully. “You’re so young. You shouldn’t have to deal with such a stressful situation,” Noah said. “None of you should.” Reggie knew she was thinking about Flynn.

“Flynn’s strong,” he reminded her. “And she’s Julie’s best friend. Plus, she knows that she doesn’t have to deal with all of the stress. She does it because she can handle it, and because she wants to.” Noah nodded. 

“Plus, she probably likes being able to say she’s best friends with the princess,” he added as an afterthought. Councilwoman Noah laughed, and Reggie felt very accomplished. 

“Thanks. I always have to remind myself that she’s grown up,” she admitted. “It feels like only yesterday her hair was just long enough to braid.”

“I know,” Reggie said. “Even though Julie’s only a year younger than me, every time I see her in the meeting room, I worry that she’s going to get too stressed. I don’t know how she handles it.”

“She’ll make a great queen one day,” Noah said softly. Reggie nodded. 

“Yeah. She will.” 

…

The food was  _ delicious.  _ Reggie couldn’t help but smile as he finished, leaving room for dessert. He might’ve been a prince, but he had his priorities in order. And dessert was very high up there. 

As people began mingling before dessert, Reggie wandered around as well, chatting with random Nobles. Lady Cadence asked how his music was going. Sir Blake quipped about the ironic circumstances of such a wonderful event. Mx. Genevieve brought up some interesting points about constitutional technicalities that Reggie would be sure to bring up when they met with Covington; something about allyship and unnecessary tension. Xe’d suggested that Reggie write it down; xe was one of Ray’s close friends, so xe knew about Reggie’s ADHD. It was probably a good idea, too, so Reggie took xer advice and jotted it down in his notes app. 

Then, dessert was served, and Reggie was in heaven with the mini cupcakes. They were red velvet with cream cheese frosting, and he probably ate more than he should’ve, but if he did, that was nobody’s business but his. 

That’s code for, yes, he did eat too many cupcakes. 

Soon, the dancing began. Reggie loved dancing. Didn’t matter what kind, either; he would waltz in the ballroom, jump around whilst playing the bass, twirl around the studio as Julie played the piano, or dance by himself in the middle of the night with his earbuds in. 

Reggie made his way to the open floor, cordially waltzing with random Nobles who wanted to know more about the current political situation, dancing with Alex to hype him up and reassure him everything would be okay, twirling Julie to give her a break from stuffy Nobles who kept pestering her, and letting Carlos stand on his toes as they danced, chatting animatedly about Minecraft and Star Wars. 

Carlos eventually left to go dance with Nick’s younger sister, Annie Danforth-Evans. They were the same age, and Reggie definitely didn’t miss Annie’s blush when Carlos twirled her. He grinned to himself and kept dancing around the ballroom. 

…

When the shouting started, Reggie’s mind flashed back to the day he ran away.

_ It was a cold, rainy day in October. Reggie’s parents had been fighting more and more for months, and it had gotten so bad that he couldn’t fall asleep at night without wondering when he would be woken up at some early hour by shouts and screams. A stray piece of stuffing floated in the corner of his eye. It was from a small stuffed penguin he’d had, one that he hadn’t seen in weeks after one of his parents’ fights.  _

_ It was early evening, though the dark, cloudy sky and pouring rain could’ve fooled someone into thinking it was night. His parents were screaming at each other again, and Reggie was wrapped in a blanket and huddled in the corner of his bedroom, surrounded by pillows from his unmade bed, trying to focus on the sound of the rain instead of the cruel words from the living room.  _

_ He blinked back tears and sucked on the inside of his lip. There was a swollen patch of skin next to his teeth. He never bit it, just sucked on it to give him something to do instead of trying to speak. His ear was pressed to the window, sending a numbing chill through his head and making his ear hurt, but it made it easier to let the sounds of the torrential storm drown out his parents’ argument.  _

_ When the sound of a shattering glass caught Reggie’s attention, he jumped and whimpered, his tiny hands clutching into fists. He couldn’t take this.  _

_ Gathering up a drawstring bag, he stuffed in the tattered blanket, a small first-aid kit, his favorite book, and an extra hoodie. It was a little small, but it was warm. He put on his bigger hoodie, a thick grey one with a big pocket over the stomach, put up the hood, and shoved earplugs into his ears. He struggled to tie his beat-up converse and peeked out the door, running out the front door when they started shouting especially loud. He doubted they heard the quick, quiet opening and closing from the entryway, but if they did, they didn’t bother investigating.  _

_ Reggie ran. He wasn’t quite sure where he was going, but he knew the city well enough to find a familiar bench that was shaded by the roof of a cafe. He sat, grateful for the dry area, ignoring the cold wind on his nose. Huddled with his knees to his chest, earplugs making him deaf to the world, he didn’t notice the old woman handing him a small bag with a cinnamon roll inside of it until she tapped his shoulder. He jumped, flinching but quickly recovering. He mumbled a quick ‘thank you’ to her, digging into the sweet pastry. Looking back on it, it probably wasn’t a good idea to accept food from a stranger, but the pangs of hunger in his stomach said otherwise.  _

_ He’d dozed off, using the drawstring bag as a pillow as he laid across the bench, when a gentle hand on his shoulder startled him awake.  _

_ ‘Are you okay?’ the man asked. ‘Where are your parents?’ Reggie looked down.  _

_ ‘I ran away,” he whispered.  _

_ ‘Why?’  _

_ ‘They kept yelling,’ he sniffed, ‘and I hated it. They never stop.’ Worry and confusion and a little bit of anger showed on the man’s face, and Reggie retracted a couple inches, before the man knelt down.  _

_ ‘Is it okay if I give you a hug?’ he asked. Reggie nodded, hesitating for a moment. But when the man’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, his own skinny arms bolted up and wrapped around his neck, and before he knew it, he was crying into his shoulder, letting the man gently pat his back.  _

_ ‘Do you know who I am, mijo?’ he asked. Reggie shook his head. He looked familiar, but his head was too muddled to place him.  _

_ ‘I’m King Ray,’ he said. Reggie scrambled into a bow, but Ray’s hands immediately steadied him. ‘Everything’s okay,’ he assured him. ‘If you don’t want to go back to your parents, I could bring you to the palace,’ he offered. Reggie’s eyes lit up.  _

_ ‘Really?’ _

_ ‘Yeah! You could meet Queen Rose and my daughter, Julie. She’s about your age. You’d love her.’ He stood, offering his hand. Reggie hesitated but took it, a slow smile on his face. _

Ever since that day, he hadn’t heard his parents shouts, because he hadn’t actually  _ seen  _ them. But Ray was the best father he could’ve ever asked for. 

These furious shouts from the ballroom brought back that one memory, and even though it happened in a split second, he felt every effect in its whole, and it struck him like a well-aimed blow. But he was distracted by the sight before him.

All seven council members with daggers to their throats. 

Reggie wasn’t sure what he was feeling at that moment. It was a mix of confusion, anger, fear, and resolve, though that might’ve just been the adrenaline. 

“Like I said,” Covington shouted over the rising screams of everyone in the room, “you will either surrender peacefully to Kryptonian rule, or we will take it by force.”

More shouts echoed throughout the huge ballroom, arguments and cries of fear, anger, and betrayal. Some bakers and chefs snuck in from the kitchens and saved the council members, which was a huge relief. But when Covington pulled the small remote out of his pocket, and revealed that he was a hologram, everything silenced in Reggie’s ears.

Reggie had heard of  _ seeing red,  _ but this wasn’t the passionate scarlet of anger. This was pure, black,  _ hate _ . Covington was threatening his people, including the people he cared most about in the entire world. Julie and Carlos, Luke and Alex, Erik, Mira, Carrie and Flynn, and the entire council. His hands clenched into fists.

“But what about your representatives?” Reggie finally asked. Surely Covington wouldn’t be willing to kill his own people of such high ranking. 

“Acceptable losses. These aren’t actually representatives, they’re criminals who have been offered the chance of a full pardon if things don't go south. They have, however, been made very clear of the  _ other  _ possibility.” Reggie’s stomach dropped. Nobody deserved a death penalty, and given his impressions of Covington, he doubted their crimes were even that severe. 

“You might notice that your king is not in the room,” Caleb added, Reggie’s heart plummeted. Tears welled in his eyes.

_ Ray.  _

_ “What did you do to my dad?”  _ Julie yelled, being held back by Luke.

“He’s alive, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Caleb said. “But I guarantee that, should I press this button, he’ll be in the line of fire.”

Furious shouts echoed in the huge room, and Reggie was one of the loudest among them despite his aversion to raising his voice. Covington didn’t get to waltz into Dahlia, declare war, and threaten all of these people and just  _ get away with it.  _ He didn’t get to threaten Reggie’s own family without facing consequences.

“Leave my people alone. Get out of our kingdom,” Julie instructed angrily, her voice clear and sharp as a dagger. “You have no place here.”

“Yeah,” Reggie interjected. “We’re not going to abandon our people, no matter how much you want us to.” It wasn’t a lie, either; Reggie was a sincere person, but he’d never meant anything as much as he meant those words. He would  _ not  _ give up on his people. Not ever.

And he wouldn’t give up on his family, either. 

“I truly hate to do this,” Covington said, and Reggie was pretty sure his stomach was at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. But he sprinted to the doors, hauling them open and helping people out as they ran. 

“Everyone out!” he called desperately, tears rimming his vision. “Get as far away as you can.”

“Your highness, where should we go?” Lady Sierra asked, her voice terrified. 

“Run out the front gates,” he instructed, “then through the city. It’s late, but it isn’t raining. Just be careful.” He patted her shoulder and rushed past her, picking up a small child, barely older than six, who was struggling to hold on to his mother’s hand in the chaos. 

“I’ve got him,” he called to her, calming her frantic shouts for her son. Reggie cradled him as gently as he could, bearing a few bruises as he guarded the child from the stampede of terrified Nobles. He ran as quickly as he could and handed him over to his mother, sprinting along the side of the hallway and opening more doors, yelling into the kitchens to any chefs still in there to get out. He did the same as he passed the guards’ quarters, gesturing wildly and helping people out as they jumped from their beds. 

Reggie found Carlos as he ran to the front gate, wrapping him in a huge hug and picking him up over his shoulders, his legs carrying him as fast as he could possibly run. Bounding out the front gate, Carlos over his shoulder, he made it down the hill and put him down. 

“Lead the others as far away as you can, okay?” Carlos nodded, wrapping him in a quick hug.

“I love you,” he said. Reggie nodded.

“Love you too. Now go!” When Carlos took off, Reggie bounded backwards towards the hill. 

“Run through the city,” he instructed as loudly as he could. “Just go straight but keep the palace in view, then wait for further instructions.” People nodded as they ran, and Reggie directed them in the way Carlos had gone. 

“It’ll be okay,” he assured a sobbing woman as she jogged past him. But the tremble in his voice probably wasn’t very convincing. 

Neither was the shockwave that knocked them backwards.

Reggie’s ears were both ringing and silent. He couldn’t tell when or even if he hit the ground, though he had to have, if the sudden blast of cold on his back was any indication, same with the sharp pain on his wrist. It took a moment, but he was finally able to open his eyes, quickly shutting them as a tiny piece of concrete flew over him and sliced open his forehead. He groaned, reaching up to test the wound. It didn’t feel that deep, thankfully, but his dusty fingers still came away streaked with blood. And when he looked back up the hill…

He’d been lucky enough to avoid the fire. His clothes were torn but not singed like so many others. Reggie stood shakily, jumping over bits of debris as he raced back up the hill. 

“JULIE?” he shouted, looking around. “ALEX? LUKE? ERIK?” His shouting didn’t seem to be of any use until he heard a familiar voice to his right. 

“REGGIE?” it called. His head whipped around, worsening his headache, but he didn’t care, because Erik’s tarnished but handsome face was visible across the hill. 

“ERIK!” Reggie sprinted to him, tackling him in a hug, trying to choke back his tears. “I’m so sorry, I-” 

“No,” Erik whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his temple. “Everything’s okay, I promise.” Reggie nodded into his shoulder. 

“Guys?” someone called. When Reggie’s eyes snapped open to a familiar redheaded girl in a tattered aquamarine dress, a grin broke out on his face. 

“Mira!” They both ran to her, picking her up in a hug and spinning. Reggie pressed a kiss to her hair. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Erik told her, and Reggie nodded his agreement. 

“Me too,” she whispered, smudging the soot on her face as she wiped away tears. “We should look for others.” Reggie nodded, blinking back more tears as he let go, scanning around him. Dozens of battered but breathing Nobles were littered around the field, sitting, standing, and walking, helping each other. 

“Are you okay?” Reggie asked Mx. Genevieve, helping xem up. 

“I think so,” xe coughed. “My head hurts, but I guess that’s to be expected after a bomb.”

“Probably.” Reggie made sure they were steady. “Make sure you’re alright, then try to help anyone else you find, okay? I’m doing the same.” Xe nodded, patting his shoulder. 

As he searched more rubble, he found Flynn and Carrie, clinging to each other and shaking behind a huge piece of debris. They were rattled but uninjured, thankfully. And soon, he found Julie, passed out near the stairs, the violet tulle and silk of her dress torn and dirty. He scooped her up as gently as he could, brushing a curl off her face. She coughed, and Reggie half-hoped she would wake up, but she stayed asleep.

“REGGIE!” His head whipped towards the familiar sound of Carlos’s voice, as well as the voices of the other Nobles who’d escaped in time, rushing back to the palace. He gently set down Julie, leaving her with Mira, and took off towards Carlos, who jumped into his arms. 

“Are you okay?” he asked worriedly. Reggie nodded. 

“I’m okay,” he confirmed. “And hey, if Han Solo can survive it, so can we.” Carlos laughed, but there were still tears streaming down his face. And they just quickened, until they heard an impossibly amazing voice behind them.

“Mijos?” Ray asked, coughing up dust.

“DAD!” they shouted, running to him, hugging him gently but tightly. Reggie sobbed into his chest. 

“We thought you were-”

“I’m okay,” he assured them. “Just a bit rattled. Where’s Julie?”

“She’s over there,” he pointed. “By the stairs.”

“I’ve been around the back of the damage site,” Ray explained, “which is why I hadn’t seen you yet. Almost everyone is okay, which is a relief, but…” he waited until Carlos had walked out of earshot before adding, “there were four confirmed casualties.” Reggie’s heart shattered.

“No,” he whispered. “No, that can’t be right, everyone-”

“It’s nobody we knew,” Ray added, but his eyes glistened with melancholy. Reggie nodded, hugging him again. 

“Can you take me to see Julie?” he asked. Reggie nodded, taking his hand and leading him to the small, clear patch he’d set her down in. Mira and Flynn were both by her side. 

“Has she woken up?” Ray asked. Reggie noticed the looks of shock on the girls’ faces, but they didn’t say anything, just shaking their heads. 

…

Finding Alex and Luke had been a huge relief, and when Julie woke up, something in Reggie’s heart clicked into place. 

There were shattered pieces of hearts throughout their family, found or blood, but those pieces combined into a beautiful mosaic of people who were scarred but lovely, bruised but kind, and loved each other with a passion and gentle nature that would bring them closer. 

\----- 

##  Willie POV

...

“Okay,” Lilian called through the large room full of bakers and chefs, “get to your usual posts and finish up any extra dishes for tonight. Then, Alyssa, Conley, Ever, Jenna, Mark, Tori, Aaliyah, and CoCo, you’re in charge of distribution and waiting during the ball. Everyone else, be on standby, but if things go smoothly, you should be able to have an early night.” Willie smiled, but his heart fell.

He’d really hoped he’d be chosen to go to the ball and wait tables. He knew it was stupid, but he really wanted to see Alex. Even if they wouldn’t get to interact, it still would’ve been nice. And he’d spent the whole time he was baking thinking through tons of  _ what-ifs.  _ What if Alex noticed him there? What if they got to chat? If he was lucky, what if they got to dance? What if…

Willie shut down the thoughts. It wasn’t happening anyway. 

He redid his hair in the knot at the nape of his neck, sighing and heading back to the kitchens to make sure the cupcakes were perfect. They were, of course; he’d practiced piping cupcakes since he was little. Eva always loved cupcakes. Her favorite of his were the lemon ones, with the yellow and pink sprinkles. He’d made them on her eighth birthday, and her face lit up when he brought them out, complete with striped candles. Willie grinned at the memory of her trying to blow them out with her missing two front teeth, singing,  _ ‘happy birthday to me, I’m a hundred and three, I’m getting tho old and thoon I’ll be wrinkly!’  _ It wasn’t the same song that a lot of kids sang, but it was Eva’s. She refused to sing it any other way. Of course, Willie still teased her about her then-inability to pronounce her S’s, and any time it was her birthday, he’d say  _ ‘it’th your birthday, Eva! You’re getting tho old, thoon you’ll be wrinkly!’ _ It drove her absolutely insane. 

Willie missed those days. 

…

The ball seemed to be going smoothly, so Willie took it upon himself to make a batch of key lime tarts. He hummed to himself, letting his mind wander to all sorts of things (Alex, mostly), shaping the dough into the tins.

That was, until he heard the screaming. 

His stomach dropped and he dashed to the other side of the kitchen, where Alyssa was standing in a defensive position as if someone was about to attack her. Willie joined her, before Lilian snuck back in through the back door. She didn’t say a word, but pointed Alyssa to the frying pan shelf and Willie…

To the knife rack. 

Willie’s hands shook and a cold sweat dripped down his back, but he obeyed Lilian’s grim nod and took one, gripping it in his palm and watching light glint on the blade. He swallowed down the bile rising in his throat. 

Lilian led everyone in the kitchens to the door, surreptitiously walking out in a single-file line, all the way down the hall to the ballroom. Willie never knew Lilian could be so silent; her steps were completely inaudible. 

As Lilian pushed open the door, eyes flicked their way, and Willie silenced his breathing as he searched for a familiar blue-green-grey pair. And when he finally found them, they were fraught with terror, hope, confusion, and something else that Willie couldn’t quite place. Something lighter but heavier at the same time. 

Alex gave him the tiniest of head-shakes, but he was too far in to stop. 

_ I’m sorry, _ Willie mouthed.  _ I care about you, Alex.  _

He wasn’t sure if he’d been able to understand what he so desperately wanted to tell him, but Willie did see a resigned nod and a plea for him to be careful coming from Alex’s direction. 

Things seemed to move in slow motion. By some miracle, Covington, who was draped over King Ray’s throne, didn’t notice the nervous glances their way. He shouldn’t have been surprised, though; he was a very self-absorbed person. 

Then, all hell broke loose when Alyssa and six other cooks brought down their pans on the representatives’ heads at once, knocking them out cold and freeing the council members. Willie’s heart raced as he hid behind the throne as Lilian trained her knife on Covington’s back. He was astonished at how steady her voice was, how tall she stood (not just because she was over six feet; she was scarily confident). 

“Or,” she said smoothly, “ _ you  _ could surrender, and go back to your own country.” The knife in her hand didn’t waver, but Covington recoiled. He hadn’t heard her coming. Willie took his chance and got on the other side, his knife pointed at Covington as well. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to use it.

“Don’t hurt these people,” he instructed, proud of how clear and steady his own voice was. 

“A few bakers trying to save their precious leaders,” Caleb purred, but the malice in his voice was like venom. “How sweet. Unfortunately for you, I have this”- he pulled a small remote out of his pocket -”and while I would rather not use it, I will if I must.” Willie’s heart leaped to his throat, and he was achingly aware of the sweat on his back, the curl of hair that had loosened from his bun, the pebble in his shoe.

None of that compared to what he would soon feel if Covington pressed that button, though. Willie had never seen one before, but he knew exactly what it was.

A bomb.

The next minute was chaos. His knife clattered to the floor, heart pounding in his ears, and he jumped backwards, hating his fearful reaction. Lilian, to her credit, held her ground nicely, but the tension in her shoulders had returned in full effect, and her eyebrows creased in the middle. 

“That’s right,” Caleb said over the terrified screams, people running for the doors. “If any of you here have any sense, you’ll run. You shouldn’t have to, of course, but if your leaders continue to be stubborn, it might be for the best.” Willie shook his head. Covington wouldn’t just…  _ do that.  _

“You’re bluffing,” someone called from the audience. “You’re in this room too.”

“Am I?” Caleb challenged, and Willie could’ve sworn he’d seen wrong, but he didn’t. A flicker of transparency, proving that Covington was actually somewhere else. 

A hologram. 

“Yes,” Caleb remarked. “You probably didn’t notice my brief trip to the restroom earlier, but that wasn’t  _ actually  _ a restroom trip. I’m far away by now.”

“But what about your representatives?” a man asked. Willie recognized him as Princess Julie’s older brother, though he couldn’t remember his name.

“Acceptable losses. These aren’t actually representatives, they’re criminals who have been offered the chance of a full pardon if things don't go south. They have, however, been made very clear of the  _ other  _ possibility.” Willie’s hands curled into fists. Was he really willing to just… sacrifice those people? Criminals or not, Willie couldn’t stomach the idea of sacrificing  _ seven  _ people. 

“You might notice that your king is not in the room,” Caleb added, and Willie’s stomach dropped. 

_ “What did you do to my dad?”  _ Julie shouted, her hands clenched in fists, shaking. Willie scanned the crowd, but didn’t find the king. 

“He’s alive, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Caleb said. “But I guarantee that, should I press this button, he’ll be in the line of fire.”

Furious shouts echoed in the huge room, and Willie watched as Princess Julie walked towards the royals’ table, getting in Covington’s face. Willie ducked his head in a bow. 

“Leave my people alone.” Her voice was cold, harsh, but clear and steady. “Get out of our kingdom. You have no place here.”

“Yeah,” her brother interjected. “We’re not going to abandon our people, no matter how much you want us to.” Willie nodded

“You can’t make us surrender,” another man informed Covington. Alex nodded, standing as tall as he could, and Willie tried to do the same, swallowing the bile rising in his throat.

“I truly hate to do this,” Caleb said, without an ounce of sorrow in his voice. “But you leave me no choice.” 

“NO,” Alex yelled, and Willie’s stomach dropped. His eyes darted to Alex, wide with fear. If Alex…

Willie shoved away the thought.

“I’m sorry, everyone,” Caleb added maliciously. Everyone was running and screaming, bustling through the doors, and Willie did his best to get people out. 

“LILIAN!” he screamed, rushing to her. “Grab Alyssa and the others, then get out as fast as you can!” She shook her head. 

“No, you need to leave too,” she told him. Willie shook his head.

“I’m going to try to get people out of here,” he decided. “I can run fast, don’t worry.”

“What are the odds of getting you to listen to me?”

“Slim to none.” Lilian sighed.

“Be fast.” He nodded, patting her shoulder and letting her dash away. 

Willie sprinted to the hallway outside the ballroom, shouting for people to get out of there, searching for Alex. Hopefully, he’d run, and would be far away by the time Covington made good on his promise. 

But, of course, a familiar voice echoed through his ears.

“WILLIE!” Alex sprinted to him, and Willie’s eyes widened. 

“GO! GET OUT OF HERE!” he said, trying to urge Alex out. “You need to get out before this place blows!” Tears streamed down his face but he ignored them, running to Alex. 

When the shockwave hit him, he was a few meters away from the man he was trying to reach. Willie was pretty sure he’d phased into a different dimension when it passed through his head, leaving it fuzzy and burning but also clear, cold, and sharp. 

He felt like he was floating. Maybe he was; there was no way to know. He felt disconnected from his body. The matter making him up wasn’t really  _ his,  _ it was just his turn to use it before he would inevitably die and be reabsorbed into the world, waiting for some other creature to be reborn from the ashes of his demise. 

When his back hit the ground, Willie felt it, but in the way you feel a headache when you’re half asleep. He registered it, knew he was in pain, but didn’t feel it as much as he should’ve. He barely registered the bruises forming on his shoulders, the heat from the fire on his skin, the flecks of concrete bouncing across his face. He was feeling everything and nothing at all, like a frozen fire, a breeze barely detectable as it rushed against a hurricane. 

Willie caught the faint glinting of a few stars in the sky before blacking out. 

…

When he awoke, it was to shouts. They weren’t urgent, but searching, calling, asking, hoping. Blearily, he blinked his eyes open. It was still night, so he couldn’t have been out for long. What had even happened? Why was he collapsed in the middle of a field full of bits of concrete, wood, fabric, and debris?

Then, everything came rushing back in an instant.

Screams.

Knives.

The shockwave.

Fire. 

_ Alex.  _

Willie bolted upright, ignoring the pounding headache between his temples. Standing shakily, he ran to the first person he could find, which happened to be Alyssa.

“Willie? Is that you?” she called, her purple hair caked with dirt. He nodded, tears blurring his vision as he wrapped her in a hug.

“Are you okay?” he asked. When she nodded against his shoulder, he sighed in relief. 

“Thank God. Have you seen anyone else? Where’s Lilian?”

“She’s helping pass out medical supplies to anyone who was injured,” Alyssa explained. “I’m scanning the grounds for others.” He nodded. 

“Has anyone…” he trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. Alyssa looked away, nodding.

“Four people. But everyone else was lucky, as far as we know?”

“Has anybody found King Ray yet?”

“No, but we’re looking. It’ll be okay, I promise.” 

“I know, I just… This is horrible.”

“It really is,” Alyssa agreed. “I’m so sorry you had to go through it.”

“You too.”

She reached up and patted his shoulder, and Willie dashed around the grounds, searching for people, taking extra time to look for a certain blonde prince.

He helped a mother and her daughter up out of a ditch where they’d fallen after avoiding a huge concrete slab, assuring them that everything would be okay. After he’d sent them on their way down the hill, he continued his search. But no matter where he looked, he never found Alex. 

Tears blurred in his eyes, but Willie blinked them back. Now wasn’t the time to cry. It wasn’t the time to grieve someone who could be alive. 

He climbed over piles of broken concrete and stone, stamping out small fires along the way, leaving nothing but crumbling, charred ash. 

But no matter where he searched, he couldn’t find Alex. 

He doubled back multiple times, scanning the grounds and looking in every nook and cranny he could find, even going as far as to search the other half of the grounds where the bomb hadn’t affected. But there was no familiar sweep of blonde hair, no sarcastic remark, no eyes that shifted from blue to green to grey, no golden embroidery on a blue suit. 

Then, he found himself running through the gardens again, searching, and ending up all the way at the back end in the park where he’d tried to teach Alex to skate. 

Willie brushed the petals of one of the roses between his fingers, the sweet aroma floating to his head and making him dizzy. The grass was cold and wet with dew, but he didn’t care, embracing the chill rather than the fire he’d been so close to. He sank to the ground, hugging his knees to his chest.

Alex was gone.

And there was nothing Willie could do. 

He was heartbroken. He didn’t know Alex as well as he wanted to. He wanted to get to know every aspect of him, every quirk and flaw and edge, no matter what, but now he was gone, a memory floating away on a wind, gentle but cruel and unrelenting. Willie ducked his head into his knees, letting his emotions flow as he sobbed.

He was always a quiet crier, and it made him feel insignificant and forgettable. For once, though, he didn’t care. Let the universe forget him. Let him flow through the galaxy as nothing more than a speck, a dot on a timeline, a splash of color in an ever-growing sea of humanity. 

He cursed himself for falling in love so quickly, for not trying harder to get Alex to leave before the blast. He cursed himself for ever having met him at all, maybe then they’d both be alive, and it would be better in the long run. But nothing could ever be perfect. Willie knew that. So why, why did it hurt so badly when the one thing he knew would never work out ended so abruptly?

He tugged on the key on his necklace, the familiar grooves indenting his skin. He was shaking, the cold darkness like a blanket, fading as the sky gradually lightened, barely noticeable even as the sun began to paint the horizon with streaks of gold. 

Then, the impossible happened. At least, it should’ve been impossible.

He heard Alex calling his name.

He knew it couldn’t be real, but he couldn’t bring himself to care as his head snapped up, half-sure he was hallucinating. But Alex was running closer, and soon Willie was standing up, walking slowly, tentatively towards him, like if he moved too fast it might scare away the slim possibility that he was real, and not a cruel trick of the light.

It might’ve worked, too, because when he leaped into Alex’s hug, he didn’t phase through him, didn’t collapse back to the ground. Alex caught him, and Willie couldn’t tell if he was laughing or crying. Probably both, he decided as he wrapped his arms tighter around Alex’s back. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered shakily, feeling Alex’s head shake over his. 

“No,” he said. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t know what I was doing, I should’ve grabbed you and ran…” Then it was Willie’s turn to shake his head. His breath hitched as he realized just how close they were. He could’ve counted the faint freckles dotting the prince’s nose, traced constellations into his skin, searched his eyes for answers he didn’t know existed. 

And then, he kissed him. 

Willie had always thought that, when people described sparks flying during a kiss, they were exaggerating, but in that moment he realized that it was incredibly, beautifully real. Sparks flew from his heart, leaving flecks of light and euphoria on his skin. Alex’s lips were soft and warm over his, slick with tears. It was broken and imperfect, but Willie wouldn’t change a second of it.

When they came up for air, Willie was smiling, but more tears were rolling down his face. 

“When you weren’t with the survivors, I-” he choked off into another sob. “I thought I’d lost you,” he finally whispered. Alex shook his head, and Willie delved deeper into the embrace, memorizing every detail that he could, the way Alex’s hands felt on his back, the fabric of his suit, how his shoulder was perfectly level with Willie’s mouth.

“You’ll never lose me,” Alex whispered to him.

A few moments later, Willie breathed back, “I hope not.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyyy
> 
> How y'all doinggggg
> 
> So, question, should I go into hiding? 
> 
> And, more importantly! Did you like the chapter? Please leave a comment if you did!!! And as always, please feel free to come harass me on Tumblr at girlboss-molina!!!


	7. Newton's Third Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
> 
> Royalty and romance aren't exact sciences, but this law still holds true in these instances. 
> 
> Julie et al are helping rebuild the damaged wing of the palace, hiding emotions to avoid committing treason, and still trying to juggle being teenagers. In this chapter, we get idiot, fluffy willex, soft juke, and an unfortunate update on the whole situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alkjdsfjlkdfs sorry this chapter has taken so long!!! it kinda kicked my ass and i wrote half of it in one sitting. BUT!!! chapters 8, 9, and the epilogue are also coming together, so hopefully (don't hold me to it) they'll be up soon.
> 
> hope you enjoy!

\-----

##  Julie POV

…

The three weeks after the attack were a blur, but not necessarily unpleasant, which seemed strange, but Julie wasn’t complaining. She’d gotten a break from wearing fancy dresses (not that she was required to wear them otherwise, but she didn’t feel like she should), opting for leggings and t-shirts as she helped with the cleanup and rebuilding of the side of the palace. It involved long, tiring hours outside, and even though the mild climate wasn’t too hot, the sun beating down on them felt sweltering as they heaved giant chunks of concrete. And now, three weeks after the attack, Julie was considerably tanner. 

It felt refreshing, though; like the start of something new, even if it had been born from tragedy. 

Apparently, Covington had fled back to Krypto, where he was immediately arrested by his own guards for inciting a possible war without reason and endangering his citizens. Covington’s advisor, a kind man named Dante, had taken over with his husband Fuego, and were already making changes to push Krypto in the right direction. They’d even sent over a ton of funds to help speed along the renovations of the palace, and opened up a new trade route from their northern ports for easier accessibility between the two countries. 

Things were looking up. 

Well. Mostly, anyway. There was still the issue of the marriage. Ray had promised he was doing everything he could to get her out of it, but Julie still hadn’t heard back. She wasn’t really surprised; they had just been attacked, after all. A large part of the palace was in shambles (miraculously, though, the entire western half and part of the southeast corner had survived the detonation). 

Still, though, she was anxious to find any way possible to get out of the marriage, preferably without faking her death or getting exiled (though, those were still solutions in the back of her mind). Alex was just as eager to get out of it. They’d spent many nights hanging out with the rest of the group scheming to get out of it, often involving Flynn bringing up ways that would definitely get them arrested, killed, or exiled. Somehow, though, it lightened the mood. 

Julie’s bedroom, as well as the other bedrooms, were all in the far west side of the palace (but with a view to the north and east), and had avoided the bomb, so they still got to spend their nights in their beds, oftentimes having slumber parties in Julie’s room. 

When that did happen, Julie frequently fell asleep in Luke’s arms, and she always felt safe, her head on his chest and his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She would’ve felt embarrassed, but Alex always ended up cuddling with Willie, Flynn with Carrie, and Reggie with Erik and Mira (Mira also usually had her legs tangled with Flynn’s). They were all in one big cuddle pile most nights, which gave Julie a huge boost of serotonin. She still had her friends, despite difficult situations. 

She’d also gotten to know Willie, which was a delight. He’d been hanging out with Alex during the days when they helped with cleanup and reconstruction, and Alex had introduced him to the rest. He’d become part of their group within a matter of minutes. He and Flynn vibed together, and Carrie had a blast making fun of his socks, which all had patterns (stripes, skateboards, hot dogs, etc), and Julie automatically approved. Willie was a literal angel. Anyone who didn’t like him was just wrong. 

Currently, though, Julie had sweat dripping down her back and a couple of curls plastered to her face as she helped pour concrete for the new foundation, but letting the professional construction workers make sure it was level to the rest of the palace. She had flecks of cement on her skin (hopefully not in her hair, though; that would be a  _ nightmare  _ to get out) and under her nails, but it felt good to get her hands dirty. She didn’t get to do that much as a princess. 

“Your highness, could you pour a little more over here?” one of them asked. She nodded with a smile, pouring more cement from her bucket where he directed. 

“We’re making good progress with all the help we’ve gotten from you guys and the Nobility volunteers,” he added. “Hopefully, the palace will look normal in a month.”

“That’s great news! Don’t hesitate to let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help,” she reminded him. He grinned and nodded, swiping his red hair out of his eyes and using some sort of wide metal sheet to smooth out the cement. 

“I think we’re done here for now,” he decided. “This just needs to set before we finish the walls.” Julie nodded. 

“I’ll go see if there’s anything else I can do.”

Wooden structures made up the outline for the walls. The floor plan would be largely the same, but the kitchens would be larger and have better appliances, and the architectural designers said that the new ballroom would be stunning. Julie was excited, though she doubted she’d ever be able to go to a ball without constantly looking over her shoulder. 

“Hey, Julie?” called Reggie. “Could you help me with this?” he gestured to the giant piece of concrete that he was struggling to pick up. She rolled her eyes and nodded, rushing over and straining as she picked up one end. 

“Thanks!”

“No problem.” She helped him carefully down the hill, finally putting it down next to a pile and brushing dust off the side of her shorts, stretching and adjusting the strap of her high-collared, dark grey sports bra. 

“Jeez, and I thought it was hot in Tambor,” Julie muttered as she pulled her hair out of its ponytail and combed her fingers through it, grateful when she found that there were no bits of cement in her thick curls. 

“It’s only, like, sixty degrees,” Reggie pointed out, even though he was sweating too. “Tambor’s probably in the eighties right now.”

“Still.” She swiped sweat off of her forehead. “It’s the middle of the afternoon, and we’re working. It’s hot.” Reggie snorted. 

“I’m going to take a break,” he eventually decided. 

“I thought it wasn’t hot?” Julie teased, jabbing his side. 

“Hey! I’m tired!” she laughed and let him go, sorting through the piles of leftover debris. Most of it had been taken away from the palace grounds by now, but there was still some left.

She pulled pieces of metal out of the concrete pile, sticking them with the other long shards of iron, steel, and titanium. 

“Hey there, boss!” called a familiar voice from behind her, and Julie’s heart raced. A huge grin broke out on her face and she peeked over her shoulder.

“Hey, Luke!” She turned back to the big pile of cement, tugging out a long metal rod and dropping it with the rest of the metal debris. He grinned. 

“I have to say,” he said, “I’m glad we aren’t doing this in Tambor. It’s beautiful there, sure, but I’m pretty sure I would’ve melted.” She snorted. 

“You can say that again.”

He knelt down next to her, and Julie was very aware of the slight heat radiating off of his arm (which, of course, was exposed by his sleeveless shirt, leaving his biceps prominently on display. It should’ve been illegal. She was trying to work in  _ peace,  _ but he had the  _ audacity  _ to be that attractive? A crime.). 

They sorted through debris in silence, and Julie’s heart finally settled. Even though they were sitting in the heat of the sun, sorting through scraps of metal and concrete, it felt right, having Luke next to her.

But it couldn’t last.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. She felt Luke’s eyes on her, but she didn’t meet his gaze, blinking back a single tear as she passed him a scrap of metal. 

“For what?” he asked, his voice concerned. 

“Everything. I…” she sighed. “I wish this could last.  _ We  _ could last.”

Luke didn’t reply, and Julie’s heart trembled, but her breath stayed steady. Fiddling with a piece of concrete, she watched a crow fly across the horizon, a silhouette in the cruel, bright sky. 

“It’s okay,” Luke finally whispered. “There’s nothing we can do, is there?” he asked resignedly. Julie shook her head.

“Not unless you feel like faking your death or getting exiled.” He laughed.

“Am I the only one who thinks that would be kind of fun?”

“Fun, maybe,” she conceded, “but extremely dangerous… and horrible for my dad.” Julie didn’t want Ray to have to deal with any of this at all, but there wasn’t much to do about it. He’d even offered to remain King for a few more years and ask Carlos if he would want to ascend, but Carlos had very pointedly said multiple times that he didn’t want to deal with politics, and Julie wouldn’t want that for either of them. 

“Yeah, probably,” Luke agreed. “Well… at least we have two more months, right?” 

“Yeah!” Julie replied, trying to be optimistic. But she was still heartbroken. “I can only imagine how hard this must be for Alex,” she eventually added, dropping her charade. “He’s having a really hard time with this.” 

“I know,” Luke sighed. “I really wish I could help him more, especially because he’s so smitten with Willie.” 

“He really is.”

“And he’s such a simp!” Luke exclaimed. “He went on a little sakateboarding date with him a few weeks ago-”

“No  _ way!”  _

“Yeah! And he’s a disaster so of course he fell, but Willie  _ caught him  _ and ugh they’re just so cute together. I’m really happy for him.”

“I am too.”

“And for the record,” Luke said, his cheeks flaming red, “well, I think you make me a better writer.” He scratched the back of his neck, and Julie was sure her face was on fire. 

“Writer?” she asked once she’d figured out how to speak.

“Oh,” he said, still flushed. “I write music.”

“Me too! Wait. You already know that.” Luke’s grin was adorable, and  _ God,  _ it should’ve been a felony to be that cute. 

“Well, yeah. I think you make me a better writer.” Julie grinned.

“I think we make each other better.”

They held each other’s gaze for a while before Luke sighed.

“Alright, mariposa, we should probably head inside.” Julie’s smile was enormous.

“Mariposa? Since when do you speak Spanish?” Luke flushed.

“I’m not that good, but… well, you kinda give me butterfly vibes, and I remembered that you speak Spanish, and I just thought-”

“It’s cute,” Julie said with a giggle, cutting off his nervous ramble. 

Mariposa.

The word played in her head on repeat, and she relished the memory of how it sounded in Luke’s gravelly voice, stretched with his grin, and Julie decided it was her favorite word.

…

When Julie finally got out of the shower, she immediately missed the cold, clear rain, and was tempted to go back in, before she heard her phone ping from the counter. She wrapped herself in a towel, squeezing out her hair, and opened it; a notification from her dad lit up across the screen. 

> **_Papá:_ ** _ Hey sweetie, I’m so sorry, but we need you in the royal office. Text Alex to come as well. _
> 
> **_Me:_ ** _ Is everything okay? Not another declaration of war, right? _
> 
> **_Papá:_ ** _ Haha, thankfully not. But you’re probably going to be upset. I know I am. Don’t worry, I’m doing everything I can to make sure everything’s okay. _
> 
> **_Me:_ ** _ Real assuring, thanks. _
> 
> **_Papá:_ ** _ Sorry. I just think it would be better if you got the message at the same time. Your friends can come too, if you like, but it’s a sensitive matter. Meet here at 7:00? _
> 
> **_Me:_ ** _ Will do _
> 
> **_Papá:_ ** _ Awesome, thanks mija. Te quiero mucho  _ _ ❤️️ _

Julie closed her phone, her stomach fresh with new worries. At least it wasn’t a war declaration, right? That had to count for something. But then she realized that he’d said it was a sensitive matter.

And he’d asked her to bring Alex. 

A pit formed in her stomach, and she groaned, combing her fingers through her hair, trying to get the thick curls to dry, weaving two braids into the sides and tying them together, letting the rest of it poof behind her head.

Changing into the suit she’d bought at the mall, Julie adjusted the sleeves of the violet jacket. She opted to leave it unbuttoned, as with the top couple buttons of her white shirt.

If this was an update about a wedding she wanted no part of, she got to wear her suit how she wanted.

\-----

##  Luke POV

...

Luke hadn’t expected for the next three weeks to fly by as fast as they did, but between cleaning and rebuilding the palace, it was a rush. He’d been free of wearing formal clothes like usual, opting for his shorts and t-shirts, most of which he’d haphazardly cut the sleeves off of. 

When it came to Luke Patterson, impulse control was pretty much nonexistent.

In his defense, it seemed to make Julie blush, which he counted as a complete win. 

Over the past three weeks, he’d gotten to know Julie’s friends more. He lost his shit every time Carrie and Alex would affectionately snipe at each other (WLW/MLM hostility, anyone?), and hanging out with Flynn was a lot of fun, though the shit-eating grin she gave him any time he glanced at Julie was quite annoying. Mira did the same thing, but she was also super encouraging, and she’d taught him a few moves when they practiced self-defense. 

As for Julie? Well, Luke wasn’t sure if it was possible to be any more smitten with someone than he already was, and yet, every day Julie Molina proved him wrong, finding new ways to enchant him with her casual laughs, her sarcastic jokes, her kind eyes, and her angelic voice. When she’d asked him to help write a guitar part for a song she was writing, he’d nearly passed away. He was absolutely  _ honored  _ to help, as cheesy as it sounded. 

He matched chords with her piano playing, adding a riff here and there, even jumping in with background vocals with Alex and Reggie, who played the drums and bass respectively. They’d turned into their own sort of band (the name was a work in progress; he was pretty sure Julie tuned him out somewhere between Team Hotness and The Band Awesomesauce). 

Luke couldn’t handle how incredible she was. He was half-convinced that her royal highness Julie Molina was an angel given human form, and not actually a mortal. She was too spectacular to be. Her voice was angelic, her entire personality beautiful and kind. 

And Luke was in love with her, no questions asked. He’d felt and understood crushes, infatuation, fondness, but this… he’d understood  _ those  _ feelings, could explain them in words, put definitions to his interest in other people, but however he felt about Julie, this pure, confusing emotion was undefinable, and that’s how he knew he was in love. 

“Hey, Patterson, give me a hand with this, will you?” a woman called from behind him, snapping him back to the present.. He spun around, seeing Lilian, a tall woman with long black hair picking up a giant beam.

“It’s not that heavy,” she added, “just really damn long.” That it was. Even if it only weighed a hundred pounds, it was almost thirty feet long, and very hard to balance over your shoulder. Luke dashed over, grabbing one end. He had to lift it above his head to keep it level with Lilian’s shoulder, which really said something about how tall she was. 

“Thanks,” she called from in front of him as they marched along the perimeter, hoisting the beam into place as someone nailed it down to finish the framework. 

“No problem.” His thoughts began wandering back to Julie and he fidgeted with the inside of his pocket as a grin spread across his face, running down the hill to where she was standing with Reggie, who soon walked away, leaving her alone with piles of leftover debris to sort.

“Hey there, boss!” he called as he jogged over to her. ‘Boss’ had become one of his nicknames for her, along with ‘angel-voice,’ ‘human wrecking ball,’ and when they were out of earshot, ‘wicked beauty.’ Once, he’d tried calling her ‘short stack,’ since she only came up to his shoulders, but she’d given him the most terrifying death stare he’d ever seen, quickly amending his mistake. 

“Hey, Luke!” She turned back to the big pile of cement, tugging out a long metal rod and dropping it with the rest of the metal debris. He grinned, ignoring the drop of sweat on his forehead.

“I have to say,” he began, “I’m glad we aren’t doing this in Tambor. It’s beautiful there, sure, but I’m pretty sure I would’ve melted.” She snorted. 

“You can say that again.”

He knelt down next to her, taking extra care to sit just a little closer than necessary. He wanted to be close to her all the time, but even if treason  _ would  _ be super fun, it probably wasn’t the best course of action.

As they sorted debris, Luke felt his heart flutter every time she glanced at him, and any time her arm brushed his, his skin tingled anywhere she touched. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered suddenly. Luke looked at her confusedly, accepting the piece of scrap metal she gave him. 

“For what?” he asked, his voice concerned. She hadn’t done  _ anything  _ wrong.

“Everything. I…” she sighed. “I wish this could last.  _ We  _ could last.”

Luke fell quiet. He’d been trying not to think about that too hard. He knew that in two months it would all be over, no matter how much they fought for it to last, it would all come crashing down like a mountain in an earthquake, built up over time then crumbling to the ground, at the mercy of the Earth. 

“It’s okay,” Luke finally whispered. “There’s nothing we can do, is there?” 

“Not unless you feel like faking your death or getting exiled.” He laughed halfheartedly, a small smile creeping across his face.

“Am I the only one who thinks that would be kind of fun?”

“Fun, maybe,” she conceded, “but extremely dangerous… and horrible for my dad.” Luke looked away. Ray didn’t deserve that kind of drama, especially with all of the other shit he had to deal with.

“Yeah, probably,” Luke agreed. “Well… at least we have two more months, right?” 

“Yeah!” Julie replied. Luke nodded and gave a sad smile, his fingers lacing together with hers. He hated this broken feeling in his heart, how it left a hollow ache in the back of his chest that he couldn’t reach no matter how many deep breaths he took. He wanted to claw it out and cast it away, let it sink to the bottom of the ocean if it meant he could be with Julie without fear, but that would only lead to more destruction. 

“I can only imagine how hard this must be for Alex,” she eventually added, and Luke agreed. “He’s having a really hard time with this.” 

“I know,” Luke sighed. “I really wish I could help him more, especially because he’s so smitten with Willie.” 

“He really is.”

“And he’s such a simp!” Luke exclaimed. “He went on a little sakateboarding date with him a few weeks ago-”

“No  _ way!”  _

“Yeah!” he nodded enthusiastically, a  _ real  _ grin spreading over his face. “And he’s a disaster so of course he fell, but Willie  _ caught him  _ and ugh they’re just so cute together. I’m really happy for him.”

“I am too.” Luke nodded, smiling as he remembered all of the times Alex had vented about how cute he was, ranting about how it should’ve been illegal and ‘how dare he have the audacity to be so adorable and sweet and ugh.’ 

“And for the record,” Luke finally said, his cheeks flaming up as he searched for the right words, “well, I think you make me a better writer.” He scratched the back of his neck.  _ What don’t you get about ‘you make me a better writer?’ I’m in love with you. _

“Writer?” Julie asked, and Luke mentally kicked himself for not elaborating. He wasn’t sure if Julie knew he wrote music as much as she did.

“Oh,” he said, still flushed. “I write music,” he explained.

“Me too! Wait. You already know that.” Luke’s grin was enormous at her flushed smile.

“Well, yeah. I think you make me a better writer.” Julie grinned.

“I think we make each other better.” Luke pretty much short-circuited.

Julie Molina was singlehandedly making him fall in love with her more and more every day.

They held each other’s gaze for a while, and Luke couldn’t help but get lost in her beautiful, brown eyes. The way she was looking at him was incomprehensible, soft but with something more passionate, mixed with both a soaring happiness and a heart-shattering melancholy, full of all the unsaid words between them. Luke sighed.

“Alright, mariposa, we should probably head inside.” Julie’s smile was enormous, and Luke flushed.

“Mariposa? Since when do you speak Spanish?” 

“I’m not that good, but… well, you kinda give me butterfly vibes, and I remembered that you speak Spanish, and I just thought-”

“It’s cute,” Julie said with a giggle, cutting off his nervous ramble. He grinned, giving a bashful nod, dearly hoping his cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. They probably were, of course; Julie always had that effect on him, and he wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. At least if he was that obvious, she wouldn’t doubt how he felt about her.

He took her hand, insisting it was just to help her up, but if he conveniently forgot to let go as she steadied herself, that was nobody’s business but his. He had to let go of her hand as soon as they were about halfway up the hill, of course, and his heart protested as he did so. As much as it pained him, they couldn’t last.

…

Standing in the shower, Luke washed his hair twice and even went as far as to condition it. He wasn’t sure why, but standing under the warm rain was very soothing, and he relished the comfort as he rinsed his hair out. 

After he’d dried and dressed, he dashed back to his post outside Alex’s room, fixing his vest on the way there. The sunset gleamed outside the windows, painting the sky with fiery streaks of orange and pink, casting him in a golden glow. He closed his eyes for a moment once he got there, letting the warm light wash over him through the crystal-cut glass.

He tapped his foot as a beat played in his head, humming to himself as he tried to focus and pin down the riff playing in his mind. It would go perfectly with a song he was writing, called Bright. He couldn’t place the exact notes, but he knew exactly how it would sound, as counterintuitive as it might’ve seemed. And it was a good thing he’d memorized it, too, because Alex’s door opened. 

“Hey, Luke?” He turned. 

“Yeah?”

“Something’s happening. Julie just texted me with instructions from her dad to meet in the royal office in an hour. Said,  _ ‘apparently it’s a ‘sensitive matter,’ which is code for shit about the wedding.’ _ And I feel like Ray would’ve told her if it was good news, right?”

“Probably,” Luke agreed, furrowing his brow. “But he might just be trying to build tension so that if it  _ is  _ good news, you’ll be even happier about it.”

“Somehow I doubt that’s the case.”

“I might be a bit optimistic, yeah,” he agreed. “But it can’t be too bad, right? Hopefully.”

“Yeah. Wanna come in?” Luke nodded and followed him across the hardwood floors, flopping down on Alex’s bed. He let his eyes blur as he stared at the fairy lights strung across the slanted, planked ceiling, the faint glow indistinguishable from the bright sunset, at its peak outside the window. 

“What do you think it is?” he couldn’t help asking. A rustle told him that Alex had shrugged.

“I’m trying not to think about it,” he admitted. “I’ll find out soon, and overthinking is what I  _ always  _ do, and that won’t help the situation at all.”

“Probably smart,” Luke said. “Good for you for being able to stop your thoughts before you spiral!”

“Thanks,” he said blandly. “There’s still anxiety, of course, but I may as well cut my losses, right?”

“Right.” 

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Well, Luke sat. Alex fixed up his suit and hair. 

“I’m sorry, man,” Luke said quietly. “This whole situation sucks so much, and you don’t deserve to be caught up in it.” Alex sighed. 

“It really does. I just feel trapped, you know? Like… there’s no feasible way out, and I never even got a say.” 

“It pisses me off,” Luke agreed vehemently, sitting upright. “Like, you didn’t  _ choose  _ to be a prince. Just like you didn’t choose to be put in an arranged marriage. You didn’t get a choice in  _ any  _ of this, and it’s bullshit!” 

“Yeah,” Alex groaned. “Well, it’s almost time, I’d better head over.”

“Yeah. Good luck.” 

“Thanks. Might need it.” Luke nodded, even though Alex had already walked out the door. 

\-----

##  Reggie POV

…

Reggie was exhausted.

For three tireless weeks, he’d spent every waking minute he could spare helping the construction crew rebuild the destroyed corner of the palace, which meant spending a lot of time outside. It wasn’t necessarily in the heat, but it sure felt like it. Most days, it was in the sixties or seventies and sunny, light beating down on them. It was worth it, though; lots of people had volunteered to help rebuild, and they were making fast progress. In fact, according to the planners, it would likely be done within another month. 

Reggie’s favorite part of the days in the past three weeks, though, were the evenings they spent in Julie’s room, hanging out and being one big cuddle pile. He especially loved seeing Julie’s relaxed smile when she was with Luke, and Alex’s when he was with Willie. He was still doing anything he could to stop the wedding, but the unfortunate reality was that in that regard, he didn’t have much power. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t snap his fingers and halt the proceedings and make everyone see reason. 

Another huge part of the past three weeks for Reggie personally was realizing he was arospec. He wasn’t sure exactly how he identified, but he’d done some research and realized he was pretty sure he was on the aromantic spectrum. Probably the ace spectrum as well. 

In doing this research, though, he’d discovered something called a queerplatonic relationship; a relationship that didn’t fit into the definitions of a romantic relationship or strong friendship. He’d confided in Erik about finding out he was arospec, and as it turned out, Erik was greyromantic himself. One thing led to another, and they’d realized that they wanted to be in a QPR, and soon they were also in a QPR with Mira as well. 

He liked this. 

What he  _ didn’t  _ like was this giant piece of concrete that he couldn’t lift.

“Hey, Julie?” he called as he noticed her walking about twenty feet away from him. “Could you help me with this?” he pointed to the piece of bitch concrete.

“Thanks!” He wiped sweat off his forehead before reaching down to grab his end, grateful when it was much easier to lift. Julie was stronger than she looked. 

“No problem.” She helped him carry it down the hill, and they dropped it near a big pile of other debris. 

“Jeez, and I thought it was hot in Tambor,” Julie muttered as she pulled her hair out of its ponytail and combed her fingers through it. Reggie laughed.

“It’s only, like, sixty degrees,” he pointed out, even though he was sweating too. That was okay, though; he got to be hypocritical if he was messing with Julie. “Tambor’s probably in the eighties right now.” It was true, though the eighties might’ve been too cool of a guess. Tambor had a much warmer climate than Dahlia. Tie that with the fact that it was late July, and there was a high likelihood that it was actually in the nineties or hundreds. 

“Still.” She swiped sweat off of her forehead. “It’s the middle of the afternoon, and we’re working. It’s hot.” Reggie snorted. She wasn’t wrong.

“I’m going to take a break,” he eventually decided. 

“I thought it wasn’t hot?” Julie teased, jabbing his side. 

“Hey! I’m tired!” He laughed and dodged her jab, jogging back up the hill to the shade under a tree. He snatched a water bottle from a cooler as he sat against the trunk, mussing his hair and getting it out of his eyes. 

“Hey, Reg!” Erik called from behind him, plopping down next to him. 

“Hi,” he said, resting his head on Erik’s shoulder, who placed his head over Reggie’s. 

“I’m tired,” he declared. Reggie nodded, closing his eyes.

“Same.” Erik wrapped his arm around his shoulders and ran his fingers through his hair, making Reggie smile softly. 

“Any idea how it’s going with your dad’s secret plans to get Jules and Alex out of the marriage?” Erik asked. Reggie shook his head; Ray had promised he would do everything he could safely do to get them out of it, but so far, there was nothing to be done. In two months, his sister and friend would be at the altar against their will. 

“Not that I’ve heard. But they have had some rather interesting plans to fake their deaths and run away into the forest,” Reggie added. Erik giggled softly.

“Yeah, those are always entertaining.” Reggie hummed. “I might be able to disguise them as butlers or maids for a little while, but I doubt it would work.”

“It could,” Reggie countered. “But they would need haircuts. Oooh, we could dye Alex’s hair pink!”

“And Julie would rock short hair,” Erik noted. “Maybe like what Lady Harrison has, with the braids on the side and poof on the top?”

“Ooh, yes! She’d slay that. And we should put Willie’s hair in a braid so he doesn’t have to cut it!” 

“I like the way you think. Do you think he would be down to wear a skirt?”

“Definitely. But Alex would short-circuit,” Reggie pointed out. Erik nodded, but his grin was huge as he tried not to laugh.

“Probably not, then. If we’re going undercover, he needs to be at least semi-functional.”

“Hey, maybe it would be more fun if he’s a gay disaster!”

“Maybe, but it would be much harder to cover for him. Especially since they’re all pretty recognizable.”

“Quit ruining my fun with your logic,” Reggie pouted. Erik laughed and pressed a kiss to his head, and Reggie hid his smile in his shoulder. Erik sighed.

“I wish we actually had a feasible plan to get them out of this.”

“Me too. I hate seeing my sister so stressed about it, too. She already has enough on her plate. And Alex’s anxiety has been getting worse the closer we get to the wedding. Willie’s pretty chill, but I can tell he’s really sad. Same with Luke. He hides it the best, but he’s hurting because we can’t actually stop the wedding without committing treason. And I’m trying to help everyone through it but there’s only so much I can do, and I just hate this whole situation. I just want some pizza but  _ no,  _ this bullshit has to happen.” Erik snorted.

“Tell me about it. It’ll be okay, though,” he promised. “You don’t have to try to protect them.”

“I know, I just…” Reggie sighed. “I wish I didn’t feel like I have to, you know? I know they can all take care of themselves. Alex is a month older than me, for God’s sake. But I just want to give them all puppies and eat pizza with them, you know?”

“I know.” Erik kissed Reggie’s head again. 

“Everything okay?” Mira asked from behind them, sitting on Reggie’s other side and putting her head in his lap. Reggie nodded tiredly, idly weaving her hair into a braid. 

“Same old crap,” Erik said. “Plans for treason that wouldn’t actually work, just the normal stuff.” 

“Sounds boring,” Mira quipped dryly. 

“Extremely,” Reggie agreed sarcastically. “Not like they’d actually work, of course, but it’s a nice thought.”

“Yeah. I mean, Jules is my best friend, I’d commit treason for her in a heartbeat. The only thing stopping me is the fact that I know she doesn’t want me to put anyone in danger.”

“That does sound like Julie,” he agreed. Sometimes he cursed his sister for being such a good person. Reggie wasn’t big on committing treason, but it could work. 

He sighed, his head still resting on Erik’s shoulder. 

“At least we still have two more months,” he said. 

“This whole thing sucks,” Mira said after a moment, her eyes closed as she laid on Reggie’s lap, Reggie wove her hair into braids, silently agreeing.

The shade of the tree was a cool relief from the warm sun, and a gentle breeze tickled the back of his neck. 

Reggie vaguely remembered the first night he’d met Julie. It was the night that Ray had taken him in from the pouring rain on the streets of Dahlia, the very day he’d run away from home. 

_ Reggie walked along the pouring streets underneath an umbrella, clutching King Ray’s hand. He was nervous, of course, but the man seemed very kind. And they weren’t too far from the palace, though it was a long walk. The exercise felt good, though.  _

_ When they reached the front gates, Reggie’s eyes lit up. The palace was even bigger than he’d thought; wide, colorful gardens sprawled for acres in either direction, with lots of trees and a huge forest farther behind the palace itself, which was nestled at the base of a few mountains as the mountain range curled west. Bright lanterns lit up the creamy white pillars, even through the storm. And lights shone through windows, blurred by racing raindrops and curtains, silhouettes looking so beautifully alive as they danced across. _

_ “Why don’t you join me upstairs? I’ll introduce you to my wife, Rose, and my daughter, Julie..” Ray smiled as he said it, and Reggie hesitantly nodded, eyes darting around the grandiose foyer. It could’ve easily held his entire house.  _

_ As they reached a tall door, Ray knocked.  _

_ “Honey? I have someone I’d like you to meet.” He pushed open the door, and Reggie’s stomach was aflutter with worry once again, but it all melted away as he saw the kind look on the woman’s face. _

_ She sat on a bench at the foot of a huge bed, her soft, navy blue dress flaring out, and her curly hair pulled back into a thick braid. On her lap was a young girl, the spitting image of the woman. She was weaving a few small braids into the side of the girl’s curly hair.  _

_ “Rose, Julie,” Ray started, “this is Reggie.” Reggie looked up and met Ray’s eyes, finding nothing but kindness. “He’s going to be staying with us.”  _

_ Reggie somehow found the courage to meet their eyes. The woman, Rose, smiled at him softly. And Julie gave a toothy grin, waving.  _

_ “All done, mija,” Rose told Julie as she finished the last little braid. Julie leaned backwards and wrapped her in a hug before hopping off her lap and walking to Reggie. He retracted a bit, but regained himself and smiled, watching as Ray gently let go of his hand and sat down next to Rose, a concerned look on his face as they whispered, occasionally glancing his way. But he couldn’t be bothered to eavesdrop. _

_ “I’m Julie,” she said.  _

_ “Hi! I’m Reggie. Are you a princess?” She nodded enthusiastically. _

_ “Yep! But my mom’s the queen.” _

“Whoa.  _ That’s awesome!” _

_ “Hey, Reggie?” called Rose. “Could Ray and I talk to you for a moment? You aren’t in trouble, don’t worry,” she added when his smile faltered. He nodded and walked over to them, hesitantly sitting next to Rose as she patted the space on the cushy bench next to her.  _

_ “Is it okay if I give you a hug?” she asked. Reggie nodded, sinking into the gentle embrace.  _

_ “Reggie,” Rose added, “how would you like to stay here at the palace with us?” Reggie’s head jerked up. He’d known Ray was taking him to the palace for a little bit, but  _ live  _ here? It would be surreal. It was  _ huge. 

_ “But… what about my mom and dad?”  _

_ “We’ll do our best to get them to stop fighting and being scary,” she promised. “But if you don’t want to deal with that, you’re welcome to stay here with us as long as you’d like.” Reggie looked at Ray, who smiled and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. And when he craned his neck to see Julie, she was grinning and nodding. He looked back at Rose. _

_ “Okay.”  _

_ … _

Reggie wasn’t sure when he dozed off, but he awoke to the sound of a soft laugh. 

“You smile in your sleep,” Mira told him. He blushed. 

He wasn’t surprised, though; that night in his memory was a hard night, but it was the start of a better life for him.

\----- 

##  Willie POV

...

The next three weeks were hectic and bright. Rather than working in the kitchens, since they were severely damaged from the explosion, he’d been one of the bakers and chefs given time off until they’d been renovated. He could’ve used it to go see his mom and Eva, but it was a long trip, and they needed all the help they could get rebuilding the broken parts of the palace. It was a good thing his hands were already calloused, because if not, he likely would’ve picked up a few more scars from the jagged bits of metal and concrete. 

Since the attack, he’d worked nonstop with the construction team to rebuild the damaged part of the palace. An unfortunate amount of that was cleanup. He hauled wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of chunks of concrete down the hill, sorted piles of metal for recycling, helped scrub soot from the white pillars and lanterns. 

The best part of the week, though, was probably being with Alex and his group of friends. Alex was so sweet, and so adorably awkward. Any time Willie pulled him out of view for a chaste kiss, his face practically caught fire, which always put a huge smile on his own face. Even though he knew it couldn’t last, it was nice. Especially knowing that Alex cared about him the same way he did. 

He’d gotten to meet the others, too. Julie was very personable, kind, and had a fun yet sarcastic sense of humor. Luke was somehow both chill and chaotic (Willie knew another ADHDer when he saw one), and they immediately hit it off. Reggie was pretty much sunshine personified, and never failed to put a smile on Willie’s face. Carrie was elegant and sarcastic, and a very fun person to be around. Flynn was a bold personality and funky lesbian, and they’d become friends instantly. WLW/MLM solidarity, probably. Mira was badass and sweet, and Erik’s chill vibe rounded it off. Willie felt like he was home. 

Well.  _ Currently,  _ he felt like jumping into the clear, cool river behind the palace because of the heat. Even in his shorts and crop top, plus the cool Dahlian climate, the hard work and bright sun was making everybody sweat. 

He helped an architect push another framework beam up into place, holding it steady as she leaned down to hammer it in. 

“Alright, that should be good,” she told him. “Mind helping me with this last one?”

“You got it,” he told her, heaving the beam over his shoulder. As she nailed it in, his eyes wandered to Alex, who was sweeping his hair out of his eyes and stretching, causing the hem of his t-shirt to ride up and reveal well-defined abs. The tight material revealed broad shoulders and outlined his biceps, which were equally as defined. 

Yeah, Willie was blushing.

What about it?

“All good,” the woman said with a grin, snapping him out of his haze. “Thanks!”

“Yeah, no problem!” He waved and walked away, conveniently in Alex’s direction. Alex noticed Willie and grinned.

“Hey,” he said. Willie smiled.

“Hey.” He nudged Alex’s shoulder with his. “You okay?” Alex sighed.

“Yeah, just hot.”  _ In more ways than one,  _ Willie thought. 

“Same. I’m half-considering making a run for it and jumping in the shallows in the river behind the palace,” he said. 

“Let’s do it,” Alex said, then his eyes widened as if he was also surprised by the words. But he didn’t take them back. 

“Really?”

“Yeah! I mean, what are they gonna do? It’s hot out.” Willie grinned. 

“Race you,” he said, brushing his hand over Alex’s before taking off laughing, ignoring Alex’s indignant shouts of  _ hey, that’s cheating!  _ and  _ you got a head start! _ He dashed by the gardens and parallel to the framework he’d helped build, running over the back field before reaching the riverbank at the base of the forested mountains. 

Alex’s out-of-breath voice appeared behind him. 

“Cheater,” he accused, but even without turning around, Willie heard the smile behind it. 

“Maybe,” he agreed, kicking off his shoes and wading into the crystal clear water, the cold current rushing around his ankles a welcome contrast to the beating sun. He leaned down and cupped some water into his hands, splashing it on his face. Then, he smirked to himself, got more water in his hands, and spun around, tossing it at Alex, who gasped and shot his arms up in surprise.

“Oh, it is  _ on,”  _ he said with a wicked grin, kicking water up to splash Willie. He laughed and retaliated, splashing him back and jumping in the shallow water, avoiding the dip in the bank. The current was slow, so it wasn’t like he’d get washed away, but the shallows were the best place. 

Soon, both he and Alex were soaked and out of breath, laughing, cheeks flushed. Willie’s eyes met Alex’s, and his smile had turned from a joyful laugh to a soft one, barely visible. He searched his eyes, finding mixing emotions that he doubted anyone could translate, and soon they were each taking a step forward.

Willie surged into the kiss, heart soaring as Alex did the same. His fingers tangled in his hair, and Alex’s arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer. Everything felt both hot and cold, somehow both a mix of the scalding rays of the sun on his shoulders and the frigid current of the river around his shins. Willie deepened the kiss, smiling into it, eventually pulling away when they both giggled. 

He met Alex’s gaze, foreheads touching together as they grinned. He leaned up and pressed a quick kiss on Alex’s nose, who flushed bright red. Willie laughed, before being surprised by Alex playfully and embarrassedly pushing him over into the river. He grabbed Alex’s hand, gasping as he landed on his back, pulling Alex down on top of him. They stared at each other for a moment, before Willie leaned his head upwards to kiss him again. Alex laughed, kissing him back before getting up and offering Willie his hand. Willie smiled and took it, standing up and shaking the water out of his hair, eliciting another giggle. 

“You’re a dork,” Alex informed him.

“I know.” He kissed him again, softer this time. Alex’s laugh tickled his cheek. He smiled into the kiss, forehead touching Alex’s as they pulled away. His eyes closed as he felt the sunlight washing over him, the cold water rushing around his legs. He felt Alex’s arms wrap around his waist, pulling him closer. They kissed again, and Willie felt safe and free at the same time. 

Willie grinned, searching Alex’s eyes.

“You okay?” he finally asked. Alex sighed. 

“Yes and no. I’m okay, yeah, especially right now with you. But I’m still just… full of dread, I guess? And anxiety, there’s definitely some of that. Not unusual, but you know what I mean.” Willie’s smile faded.

“Yeah, I know.” He stepped out of the river, sitting down on the short, dry grass. Alex sat next to him.

“For what it’s worth, I’m sure everything will be okay.”

“How can you say that? I…” he sighed again. “I really like you,” he said quietly, his cheeks darkening. “I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. And that just makes this so much worse, you know? I mean, I already hated the arranged marriage. But now… it’s going to hurt even more.” Willie looked down.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be. None of this is your fault.”

“Still.”

Willie watched as Alex tore a hand through his hair, picking at a blade of grass next to his hand. 

“I really like you too,” Willie said after a moment. His heart fluttered with the confession, even though he was pretty sure Alex already knew. He glanced up at him, smiling at Alex’s blush. He took his hand, closing his eyes and relishing the warm sunlight drying his hair.

Alex let out a soft laugh.

“You know, when they first announced the marriage, Julie, Carlos, and Ray were visiting Tambor. Don’t ask me why they even did it,” he added. “We’d already been allies. It was my parents’ idea, because of course it was. All the Molinas were vehemently against it, as was I. But my parents insisted that they raise it to the council, and it was 4-3 in favor. That was before Councilperson Aster and Councilwomen Mei Lin and Anika were appointed, though. At least Councilmen Trevor and Ryan and Councilwoman Noah were against it.”

“They’re your friends’ parents, right?” Willie asked.

“Councilman Trevor is Carrie’s dad, and Councilwoman Noah is Flynn’s mom. I don’t think you’ve met Nick Danforth-Evans, but yeah, Councilman Ryan is his dad.”

“Got it.”

“Yeah. Anyway, the night they announced it, and the council approved it, it was pretty much settled. I guess the actual  _ people getting married  _ didn’t have any say. Ray hated it, though, which counts for something.”

“It does,” Willie agreed. “He seems really nice.”

“Yeah, he is. He’s still working on getting us out of it, which is awesome,” Alex added to Willie’s delight. “But it’s two months out, and it would probably raise hell.” Willie’s heart sank.

“Yeah, probably. And… your parents didn’t even give you any say whatsoever?” Alex gave a bitter laugh.

“No, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. They were never the listening type.”

“Did they know you liked guys?”

“Nope. I never bothered telling them. If anything, they would’ve campaigned even harder for the marriage to turn me into a ‘normal prince.’” Willie’s chest swelled with anger. 

“No offense, but they sound awful.”

“They aren’t the best,” Alex agreed. “Honestly, I kind of want to come out to them just to see their reactions. It would raise hell, but it would be pretty funny.” Willie gave a halfhearted laugh. 

“It would,” he agreed. “But it still sucks. Nobody deserves that kind of intolerance, especially you.”

“Thanks,” Alex whispered. It was barely audible over the breeze and rush of the river, but Willie nodded, meeting his gaze. 

Willie inhaled to speak but cut himself off at the last second. He wasn’t even sure what he was going to say, but it got caught in his throat. It was purposeful, too. It would just hurt more, just add insult to injury, even with two months left to build and destroy at the same time, two measly months to fit an eternity of emotions that Willie didn’t even know it was possible to feel after knowing someone for a month. 

Willie noticed a crease between Alex’s eyebrows, reaching up with a finger to smooth it out.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Plans to fake my death and become a gay forest cryptid,” Alex deadpanned. Willie cracked up. 

“I’m down,” he said. “Bonus points if you need me to mix up some fake blood.” Alex snorted.

“One DNA test and that would be gone, but it would be a good distraction.” 

“Of course it would! I mean, if I found what looked like blood splattered all over the prince’s bedroom, I’d freak out.”

“But how are we supposed to sneak out of the palace? There are cameras all over the place.”

“I’ll figure it out. Can’t be that hard, right? I mean, all those spy movies make ‘hacking the mainframe’ seem like refreshing a page.” 

“Eh, only if you can make your screen all black and have neon green text. Otherwise it won’t work,  _ obviously _ .” 

“Finally, an intellectual,” Willie said with a grin, barely holding back laughter. He knew they wouldn’t  _ actually  _ fake their deaths, but it was fun to think about. And Alex’s sarcasm was unmatched. He could deadpan a grocery list and make it funny.

“Hey,” he whispered. “It’ll be okay.”

“Yeah,” Alex said after a moment. “Yeah, it will.” 

\-----

##  Alex POV

… 

It had been three weeks since the attack, and Alex was strangely okay. He was shaken, of course, but he spent a lot of his free time helping the reconstruction of the damaged part of the palace. There was only so much he could do, though. But, along with Julie, Luke, Reggie, Mira, Erik, Flynn, Carrie, and  _ Willie,  _ he did what he could to help. 

Unfortunately, a lot of that involved extensive, repetitive piling of concrete pieces into wheelbarrows and hauling them down the hill. He was pretty sure his back would be sore for months. 

Everyone had ditched formal clothes for the most part. They’d spent their time helping the cleanup and rebuilding process, so Alex wore shorts and a t-shirt or tank top most days. Julie usually opted for a t-shirt and leggings, Reggie with his white tee and pants, and Luke in his signature sleeveless shirts. 

Willie, though, had an affinity for crop tops. 

Alex was pretty sure he short-circuited when he first saw Willie the first cleanup day. He wore a blue and yellow tie-dye crop top that showed his abs whenever he lifted his arms. Both fortunately and unfortunately, that happened a lot with lifting giant pieces of concrete and debris. Fortunately because Alex got to steal glances at Willie’s well-defined muscles, but unfortunately because he pretty much forgot how to function every time he did. 

And, on the subject of Willie, Alex was absolutely smitten. 

They’d seemed to be avoiding the topic of the arranged marriage that was already two months away. But they chatted animatedly any time they were in each others’ vicinity outside, occasionally being sweeter when everyone else was out of earshot. 

The danger, of course, was tangible. 

If anyone suspected anything, they could be charged with treason. They could even be exiled; it was extremely unlikely, given how severe of a punishment it would be, but Alex’s anxiety didn’t care. 

The danger made the rush of loving him so much more thrilling. Each time his heart pounded it was both for love and fear, each time one of them would pull the other aside into an empty room to give a chaste kiss when nobody else was looking, lingering glances during meals. Alex could’ve imploded at the soft look in his eyes the night before during dinner. He couldn’t translate the emotions swirling in his deep brown eyes, but it made him feel warm and safe and something else he couldn’t quite place. 

He’d just finished laying down framework on the northern side of the palace when he glanced up and saw Willie walking towards him, his face stretching into a grin.

“Hey,” he said. Willie smiled.

“Hey,” he replied, nudging Alex’s shoulder. “You okay?

“Yeah, just hot.” It might not have been as sweltering as Tambor, but it was late Summer, and the bright sun and hard physical labor was making him sweat.

“Same. I’m half-considering making a run for it and jumping in the shallows in the river behind the palace.”

“Let’s do it,” Alex said, then his eyes widened as if he was also surprised by the words. But he didn’t take them back. He was surprised by how much he meant them, actually.

“Really?”

“Yeah! I mean, what are they gonna do? It’s hot out.” Willie grinned. 

“Race you,” he said with an evil grin, and his hand brushed Alex’s before he took off. Alex let out an indignant gasp as he got his bearings and ran after him, unable to stop the laughs bubbling up in his chest. He sprinted as fast as he could, jumping over stray beams until they were past the garden and into the wild field, the forested mountains watching over them like guardians of the Earth as Alex dashed to the riverbank.

“Cheater,” he accused, but the smile on his face and euphoria in his chest didn’t put any weight behind it. 

“Maybe,” he agreed. Alex rolled his eyes; Willie was  _ adorable.  _

Then, because nothing with Willie could be without some chaos, he became slightly less adorable by splashing Alex with the frigid river water.

“Oh, it is  _ on,” _ Alex said, kicking water up to splash him. They jumped around, striking and retaliated, wicked grins stretching on their faces. Alex hopped over some reeds, ducking down then jumping back up with water cupped in his hands, making rain fall down over the both of them.

Soon, both he and Willie were soaked and out of breath, laughing, cheeks flushed. Alex’s wicked grin softened into a small smile, his eyes meeting Willie’s, who was flushed with laughter, hair dripping, and then he was looking back, and getting closer. 

Alex surged into the kiss, his arms wrapping around Willie’s waist. Willie’s fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, and everything felt like it was soaked in pure light, bright and full of energy and giving life in abundance, cloaked in warmth and comfort but adventure. Willie deepened the kiss and Alex reciprocated, holding him closer. He let out a giggle when they finally pulled away.

He met Willie’s gaze, forehead resting against his. Then, Willie leaned up on his toes and placed a gentle kiss on Alex’s nose. He flushed bright red, playfully shoving him over into the water.

It backfired.

Willie grabbed his hand, pulling him down as well as he fell. Alex landed with a soft ‘oof’ on top of Willie, and they were both laughing again. Willie reached up to kiss him, and Alex smiled into it, helping him up.

Willie shook the water out of his hair, splashing Alex again.

“You’re a dork,” Alex informed him.

“I know.” 

Alex kissed him again, softer this time. He couldn’t help laughing, and Willie smiled into the kiss. Their foreheads rested against each other, and Alex let himself live fully in the moment, arms around Willie, sunlight on his shoulders and a cold river rushing around his legs. They kissed again, and Alex wondered if this was what freedom felt like.

Freedom. It hit him that he’d been free in a sense his whole life, but his life was never his to begin with. He was born expected to give his life to others, serve a country and eventually marry a princess he wasn’t in love with. So even if he had freedom, he didn’t have actual, living, beautiful  _ freedom  _ like he did right now with Willie. With Willie, he could be himself, not under the watchful eyes of the public, just alone with him for blissful moments of peace.

“You okay?” Willie asked him after a moment. Alex sighed.

“Yes and no. I’m okay, yeah, especially right now with you. But I’m still just… full of dread, I guess? And anxiety, there’s definitely some of that. Not unusual, but you know what I mean.” 

“Yeah, I know.” Alex followed Willie back to the dry, grassy riverbank, letting the sun dry him off. 

“For what it’s worth, I’m sure everything will be okay.”

“How can you say that? I…” he sighed again. “I really like you,” he said quietly, his cheeks darkening. “I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. And that just makes this so much worse, you know? I mean, I already hated the arranged marriage. But now… it’s going to hurt even more.” 

Alex hated that the words were true. He hadn’t thought it would be possible to hate the arranged marriage more than he already did, but then he’d fallen in love with Willie, and it had actually turned out to be mutual.

“I’m sorry.” Alex’s eyes shot to Willie.

“No, don’t be. None of this is your fault.”

“Still.”

Alex tore a hand through his hair, combing it back as it dried. 

“I really like you too,” Willie said after a moment. Alex’s face did its best to catch on fire. He ignored the butterflies in his stomach, taking Willie’s hand.

Never had he thought he would be able to do that. 

His whole life, he’d been raised thinking that he would have to end up with a girl, that he would be in love with her, that everything would turn out like it did in fairy tales. But when Alex was twelve and realized he liked guys, it had hit him that things would never be what others considered his “normal.” He might end up with a woman, but he wouldn’t love her like he was supposed to.

He’d never bothered telling his parents that he was gay, even when he’d realized that it was a part of who he was, and that he shouldn’t be ashamed of it. They wouldn’t have approved in a million years. He’d tried the whole “my friend and her girlfriend” thing, and it had led to an endless string of questioning, insisting he was no longer allowed to hang out with her, and a rather tense dinner. Though, Ava’s wink from across the table let him know that he wasn’t actually alone. 

Alex let out a soft laugh.

“You know, when they first announced the marriage,” he started, “Julie, Carlos, and Ray were visiting Tambor. Don’t ask me why they even did it,” he added. “We’d already been allies. It was my parents’ idea, because of course it was. All the Molinas were vehemently against it, as was I. But my parents insisted that they raise it to the council, and it was 4-3 in favor. That was before Councilperson Aster and Councilwomen Mei Lin and Anika were appointed, though. At least Councilmen Trevor and Ryan and Councilwoman Noah were against it.”

“They’re your friends’ parents, right?” Willie asked.

“Councilman Trevor is Carrie’s dad, and Councilwoman Noah is Flynn’s mom. I don’t think you’ve met Nick Danforth-Evans, but yeah, Councilman Ryan is his dad.”

“Got it.”

“Yeah.” He went on recounting how it had gone, including Ray’s adverse reaction, his own avoidance of his parents for months, and his anger at how he’d never gotten a say. 

He hadn’t realized he was so tense until Willie reached up and smoothed the crease between his eyebrows.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Plans to fake my death and become a gay forest cryptid,” Alex deadpanned. Willie cracked up. 

“I’m down,” he said. “Bonus points if you need me to mix up some fake blood.” Alex snorted.

“One DNA test and that would be gone, but it would be a good distraction.” 

“Of course it would! I mean, if I found what looked like blood splattered all over the prince’s bedroom, I’d freak out.”

“But how are we supposed to sneak out of the palace? There are cameras all over the place.”

“I’ll figure it out. Can’t be that hard, right? I mean, all those spy movies make ‘hacking the mainframe’ seem like refreshing a page.” 

“Eh, only if you can make your screen all black and have neon green text. Otherwise it won’t work,  _ obviously _ .” 

“Finally, an intellectual,” Willie said with a grin. Alex laughed, imagining the dramatic scenario they’d created. A mixture of water, corn starch, and a lot of red food coloring would be all they needed for the fake blood. And he was sure he could fuck around with the settings on his laptop to make the screen black and have green code-like text. 

“Hey,” Willie whispered after a moment.. “It’ll be okay.”

“Yeah,” Alex replied. “Yeah, it will.” 

…

> **_juju:_ ** _ Hey, my dad says he needs us in the royal office. How much do you want to bet we aren’t going to like it? _
> 
> **_Me:_ ** _ it’s pretty much a given at this point _
> 
> **_Me:_ ** _ any idea what it is? _
> 
> **_juju:_ ** _ Apparently it’s a ‘sensitive matter,’ which is code for shit about the wedding. _
> 
> **_Me:_ ** _ wonderful. on a completely unrelated note, do you think i could get away with faking my death in the next five minutes _
> 
> **_juju:_ ** _ I’ll try if you do _
> 
> **_juju:_ ** _ See you there at 7? _
> 
> **_Me:_ ** _ ughhhhhh fineeeeeeee  _

Alex clicked off his phone, dread settling in his stomach. 

There was no way this was good news.

…

The deep scarlet suit he’d chosen was lightweight but snug, and Alex appreciated the bit of faux security. Adjusting his sleeve, he made his way to the royal office, where Julie was already standing in front of the door, dressed in her purple and white suit she’d gotten at the mall. 

“Hey,” she said bleakly. 

“Hey.” 

They didn’t say anything else as they pushed open the doors to Ray’s grim face. 

“Hi, guys,” he said quietly. Nobody else was in the room aside from the three of them, but the tension was palpable.

“Alex, your parents conferred with me and the council, on the subject of boosting morale after the attack.”

“That makes sense,” he said slowly. “Everyone here was really shaken, and they probably were in Tambor as well.

“Yeah, that was my reaction as well,” Ray agreed. “But they brought their idea straight to the council, and it was an anonymous vote to ensure the council members’ honesty.”

“Okay…” Julie said slowly. “And I’m assuming the look on your face means they passed it, and that you don’t like it?”

“Yeah.” Ray sighed, but it sounded more like a groan. “Mija, you have to know that I did everything in my power to stop this without a disaster, but…” 

Alex tore a hand through his hair, already knowing what was coming. It was his parents. Of course he knew.

“The wedding has been rescheduled. You no longer have two more months,” he explained, and Alex could’ve sworn he was blinking back angry tears. 

“You only have two weeks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaand there it is. if you have any ideas on what's going to happen, please don't hesitate to leave them in the comments! i already have the rest of the story outlined, but seeing your thoughts is one of my favorite parts of this whole ordeal. 
> 
> also, the idea of luke calling julie 'short stack' was inspired by a post by fairygclds on tumblr!
> 
> please consider leaving a comment if you liked this chapter! and as always, feel free to come harass me on tumblr at girlboss-molina.

**Author's Note:**

> So, there's the first chapter of this big project! Gods, this was fun to write, and I can't wait to continue it. 
> 
> If you enjoyed, please consider leaving a comment! And feel free to harass me on Tumblr at girlboss-molina.


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